A Heart in the Void
by DrWriter21
Summary: Only a nobody can understand what it's like to not exist. They are forsaken by both light and darkness, forced to walk the twilight between. Their only destiny is to fade away into a nonexistent oblivion. But if a nobody was given the chance to exist, what would they do with it? Can an empty shell that started with nothing be filled? Does a nobody have the right to exist?
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

**Author's note: I could not get the idea out of my head until I put it on paper. I am sure many of you have felt the same. I am a new Fanfiction author and I am looking forward to writing with the community. Be warned, this is my first Fanfiction so some helpful comments would be appreciated. I am always looking for ways to improve my skill as a writer. But anyway, I hope you enjoy this project i have been working on. I will try and get updates as fast as i can.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **Update: 12-18-16: Thank you readerdreamer5625 for editing this chapter. He puts a serious amount of work into making sure the errors are gone and the story flows a lot smoother. He did an incredible job!**

* * *

 **A Heart in The Void**

 **Chapter 1**

Of all the existences of the worlds, there are none that are as sad as those of the Nobodies'. Born of those who have lost their hearts to the creatures of darkness, known as the Heartless, the Nobodies don't truly exist.

They don't feel.

They don't understand what it is like to have a heart.

...Or do they?

They who are shunned by both light and darkness, who dwell in the twilight, what do they have worth fighting for? For those without hearts, those that are empty, a complete void, do they have the right to exist?

These were the thoughts of one particular nobody known as Roxas as he stared at the individual in front of him. The person that was said to be his other half. His Somebody.

Sora.

Even though Nobodies were supposed to lack emotion, Roxas had mixed feelings about seeing him again.

"This could have been the other way around," Roxas said as he stared at his Other, "But it really has to be you."

Sora looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"There are so many hearts that are connected to yours. You're me, so you can feel what I have felt."

Those words penetrated through Sora's heart, making him feel sad for his Nobody. The more he learned about the Nobodies, the more he pitied them, especially Roxas. To hear him say that he and Sora were the same, that just felt wrong.

"No. Roxas, you're you. We are not the same. I wanted to tell you that. That you deserve as much as I do to be your own person."

Roxas adopted a look of surprise for a moment before he gave Sora a small smile. Trust his Other to try and give Roxas the chance he never had. But no matter, Roxas knew what he had to do.

"You see Sora, that's why it has to be you," he said as he reached forward and grasped Sora's hands. It wasn't a second later that he started to transfer the only thing left that was truly his.

His memories.

But even his memories of the time he spent in Twilight Town and with his so-called friends, Hayner, Pence, and Olette, were fake. Roxas had to wonder if anything about him was ever real.

Truthfully, even though he made the decision to join back with Sora, there was nothing he wanted more than to exist. After all, who wouldn't? Who wouldn't want to be their own person, to just enjoy their summer vacation as they laughed with friends and ate ice-cream?

That was all that Roxas wanted, but it was too much for a Nobody to ask for. That he understood now.

As the last of his memories transferred into Sora, as he started to disappear, this truth Roxas started to accept. That was his fate after all. To disappear and become nothing… it was only right.

It wasn't as if he was ever something to begin with anyway.

* * *

Roxas was floating in an endless void of white. Even since he had been absorbed back into Sora, this was his sanctuary. He could only guess that it was the light of Sora's heart, and that eventually everything that made him 'Roxas' would disappear forever.

Roxas looked at his hands with a sad smile, clenching them. "You have no idea how lucky you are Sora, to actually exist. It's only something that a Nobody like me could ever dream of."

He said to himself as he looked up into the endless void of Light. "But it truly has to be you."

Roxas didn't know how long he had been floating there in the void. It could have been days, months, or years, but he could not tell. Truthfully, it was a wonder that he still existed, for all that it mattered in this place. Wasn't he supposed to be absorbed fully into Sora by now? Wasn't it enough that he didn't get the chance to exist? Couldn't he just peacefully disappear?

 _My Slave somewhere out there in the universe._

Roxas snapped his head up and looked around. He didn't know just how long he was floating there, but he was sure he had heard something. How was it possible? This was inside Sora's heart. How could he hear a voice from inside of here?

 _My beautiful, powerful, and Divine familiar._

Roxas spun around a few times to see where the voice was coming from, but he was only greeted by the endless void. What was going on?

 _Heed my guidance._

Suddenly, a bright light erupted in front of him. It was so bright that he had to shield his eyes, but it soon died down enough for Roxas to lower his arm. His eyes widened as he saw a green oval-shaped portal appear out of nowhere in front of him. It reminded him of the corridors of darkness he use to travel when he was in the organization, but this lacked any form of dark energy.

"What is this?" He asked himself as he floated towards the portal.

He gingerly reached up and was about to touch it, but at the last moment pulled away. What if it was something that would hurt Sora? He had no idea what this was, and if something happened to him, then Sora would be affected too, Right?

The green portal shimmered in front of him, almost beckoning him to touch it, but Roxas held firm.

"You deserve as much as I do to be your own person."

Roxas blinked a few times as Sora's words echoed through his mind. He looked down at his hands for a second before looking back at the portal, biting the inside of his cheek. No, he couldn't do this. Not to Sora, not to his Other, even if said Other was the one telling him to take this.

"Roxas, you're you. We are not the same."

Roxas took a deep breath before he looked up into the endless void.

"Do you really mean that Sora? A nobody like me, do I deserve to be my own person?" he asked before he turned back to the portal. It continued to shimmer in front of him; occasionally a small ripple would cascade across it.

"Roxas, you're you."

Roxas smiled to himself as he clenched his fists. "I am me."

He finally made his decision. Approaching the portal and with one quick movement, he came close before thrusting his hand through it. Immediately, it clamped onto him and started to drag him into the center. With one last look into the endless void, Roxas gave a last goodbye.

"I don't know what will happen, but I hope you can survive without me, Sora."

* * *

"Have everyone taken their turns?" Asked Professor Colbert. He then casually looked around his students to see if he missed anyone. The Springtime Familiar Summoning Ritual was a very sacred rite among the mages of Halkegenia, and so far, all of the students had managed to summon respectable familiars.

"Not everyone," the voluptuous Kirche spoke up as she proudly stroked the head of her Salamander. "Louise still has to grace us with her beautiful, divine, and powerful familiar. Isn't that right Zero?"

She said the derogatory nickname with a sly smile.

Louise, the short, pink-haired girl who was the target of the taunt, growled in annoyance before shooting Kirche a glare that promised death.

Colbert gave a sigh as he looked at the last student who needed to summon a familiar. He knew all too well about Louise and her extraordinary ability to cause even the smallest spell to explode. Truly, he was getting too much practice in defending people from explosions nowadays.

But even so, he cared for Louise and wouldn't want to just watch her be bullied. He turned a strict glare to Kirche, "Miss Kirche, please refrain from making fun of your classmates."

Kirche turned away at that, looking slightly sheepish. That was good; Colbert had no hopes in stopping the general treatment of the public to the girl before him, but he knew the passionate Kirche: she didn't mean harm, not really. She only had to be taught to see the fine lines before she crossed them.

Much more kindly, he then turned to his most troublesome student. "Louise, would you kindly summon your familiar now?"

Slowly, Louise walked forward with her wand in her hand, her knuckles white from gripping the handle.

"Please," she whispered quietly as her hands trembled furiously from the anxiety. Her wand rose into the air as she then tried to puff out her non-existent chest. _"My Slave somewhere out there in the universe."_

Professor Colbert could not suppress a sigh as he heard Louise chant her spell. He could not help but look around and notice the rest of the students were all scoffing at the way she was summoning her familiar. After all, Familiars were not a slaves, but partners to the mage. This, Louise would have to learn for herself, Colbert decided, or else she would lose whatever she would summon. That is, if she did summon anything at all.

 _"My beautiful, powerful, and Divine familiar,"_ she yelled before she flicked her wand, _"HEED MY GUIDANCE!"_

Everyone braced themselves, expecting an explosion of disastrous proportions.

They were right.

The tip of Louise's wand erupted in a fiery blast, casting dirt, dust, and debris flying in all direction as a cloud of smoke surrounded the class. The only thing people could hear in the smoke was the coughing of students as they tried to wave the dust away. Immediately, the students began to grumble against the pink-haired mage.

"Just as we expected."

"Wasn't that explosion even bigger than usual?"

The smoke and dust remained for a while before it finally started to dissipate. Everyone was still trying to recover from that particularly enormous explosion when Kirche became the first to voice her frustration as she rose to her feet.

"Louise! This is why you are a Zero!" she shouted through the smoke, only to cough a few times as she attempted to wave the dust away from her face. "Argh, can't anybody clear the air with a wind spell? This is going to be horrible for my hair, I just know it!"

"My darling Montmorency, are you hurt?" A dainty young man known as Guiche asked as he lightly grasped his girlfriend's shoulder. Montmorency promptly ignored him as her gaze focused at the origin of the explosion where Louise was standing. She slowly pointed in that direction, causing Guiche to turn to what she was staring so raptly at. Soon enough, he also adopted the same look of shock that was on her face.

The dust was finally starting to settle before revealing Louise standing there. She was not alone though because standing in front of her was a figure. It was dressed in a black coat with a hood that obscured any view of the new stranger's face. The figure was slightly taller than Louise herself, but that was not saying much. It wore black shoes and black gloves as well, making every part of the figure completely covered.

Louise stood there, staring at the thing she had summoned. She then started trembling slightly.

"This is my beautiful and powerful familiar?" she said through gritted teeth, her eyebrow twitching uncontrollably.

Suddenly the class erupted in laughter as snide remarks began to fly.

"Is that supposed to be your familiar?"

"It looks like a commoner!"

"As expected of you Zero!"

Kirche in particular was hunched over, holding her stomach as she laughed loudly. "This is so fitting for the Zero! I wouldn't expect anything less from you!"

The student standing right next to Kirche observed the hooded figure for a few moments before she lost interest and buried her face back into a book.

"Come Sylphid," she told her Dragon familiar as they both began to walk away from the other students.

"Tabitha, where are you going? This was just getting good," Kirche said as she saw her friend leaving. Tabitha didn't say anything as she continued to walk away. Kirche just shrugged, already knowing that Tabitha was not much of a talker.

Louise faced the class, her face red from anger. That, and shame that she was barely keeping off of her face as she defaulted to the only way she had to save her pride: yell at everyone else.

"Shut up!" she screeched before she turned to Professor Colbert, "Please let me attempt the ritual again!"

Colbert stared at the unmoving familiar for the longest time before he turned to look at Louise. "I am afraid I can't. The Familiar ritual is a sacred passage. If you were to do it again, it would be considered blasphemy against the founder. I am sorry Louise, as unusual as it is, that is your familiar."

Meanwhile, Roxas had no clue what was going on. For some reason, he was standing in the middle of a field, or a courtyard. A slight breeze caressed his coat, entering his hood and gently brushing against his face. It was nice to feel the touch of fresh air again. But that didn't answer his question.

What happened?

He had already guessed that the green oval was some form of portal, but how in the world had it separated him from Sora?

Where did it take him?

Was he in a new world?

Roxas continued to stand there, observing his surroundings. He noticed that there were a lot of other people in the area. They were all laughing and pointing at him and a pink-haired girl.

Roxas didn't really care at the moment what they were talking about as he continued to look around. He noticed that there was a wide diversity of people in all shapes, sizes, and hair colors. Nothing about them really caught his attention besides their hair color. There was one woman that had flaming red hair that reminded him of Axel. The smaller girl arguing with the balding man had a hair color that was the same shade of pink as Marluxia. Then there was the girl that was walking away with a rather large dragon creature. This girl was small and had a head of blue hair that reminded him of Saïx.

The reptilian creature that was walking besides her alarmed Roxas at first, but he noticed that it wasn't mindlessly attacking everyone in sight, so it couldn't be a heartless. As he continued to look around, he was made aware that there were a lot of strange creatures that were harmlessly interacting with the people around them. He gave a sigh of relief as he came to the conclusion that none of these creatures were heartless.

As he continued to observe, trying to figure out what in the world had happened, he noticed that the pink-hair girl was arguing with a tall, balding man. Something about doing a familiar ritual over again, whatever that meant. Truthfully, it didn't surprise him that he understood their language. If understanding languages was a byproduct of traveling to different world, or just luck, he would never know.

"Complete the ritual now! Or I will be forced to expel you from this institute."

Roxas turned his attention to the balding man who had just spoken harshly to the girl. He watched as the pink-haired girl pointed to him with a look of disgust on her face.

Roxas merely raised an eyebrow before he lost interest and continued to look around, his mind lost in his many questions. But his attention was caught again when he saw the girl approaching him, a scowl crossing her face.

"You should be honored," the girl practically spat at him, her irritation at his presence clear for all to see, "A person of noble birth would never do something like this for a commoner."

Roxas cocked his head in confusion. What was this girl talking about? Nobles? Commoners? What kind of world was this?

The girl raised her wand before pointing it at Roxas who still hadn't moved ever since he arrived. "My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière. _Pentagon that rules the five elements, bless this individual and make him my Familiar._ "

Roxas was again confused as he heard her chant her spell. A familiar? What was that? And why in the world did she have such a long and complicated na… _Why was she invading his space?_ Roxas thought as the girl lowered his hood to reveal his face to the world.

Now that everyone could see his face, the mocking from the rest of the class began to increase.

"Go for it Louise!"

"Go and make the commoner your familiar!"

"That's right Zero, at least he is handsome. You shouldn't be too disappointed."

Roxas looked around at the individuals. Why were they mocking them?

"What's going on?" Roxas asked as he turned his attention to the girl.

The girl, or Louise, turned red for a moment.

"Quiet!" she shushed as she clasped the back of Roxas's neck and brought her face closer to his.

Now, if Roxas thought his girl was invading his space before, he was sorely mistaken because she was taking it to a whole new level with particular course of action. Truth be told, he did not feel comfortable with it at all.

Right before Louise was about to kiss him, Roxas grabbed her shoulders and not-so-gently pushed her away, causing her to stumble. Immediately, Louise's eyes flew open and her face turned dark red from anger. The surrounding people were stunned for a few moments before they erupted in laughter again.

"Even a commoner doesn't want to be her Familiar."

"Leave it to Louise to be rejected by her Familiar."

"SHUT UP!" Louise yelled in a blind fury at her heckling audience. She then jumped back from Roxas and drew her wand. "How dare you reject your master!"

Roxas frowned at the girl. She was his master? Get real! That was not going to… He didn't even get to finish that train of thought as the tip of her wand exploded. The shockwave sent him flying off his feet, before crashing mercilessly to the ground on his back.

Roxas lay there for a few seconds in shock. He felt like he just got blown up by an assassin nobody. He cringed as he slowly sat up. He saw the girl approaching him again.

"What the hell was that for?" he shouted angrily.

The girl stomped over to Roxas and launched herself at him, tackling him back to the ground.

This time, Roxas was so surprised that he couldn't do anything as their lips interlocked.

It only lasted a second before the girl quickly pushed off him and stood up before stomping back to the balding man. "I have completed the Ritual."

"You had to blow up your familiar! That poor boy." Kirche taunted as she crossed her arms under her chest. "Wasn't it enough that he had to be kissed by _you_?"

Colbert gave her a warning glare at that, and Kirche backed down at the warning. It was for nothing though, as Louise hadn't seen the teacher's actions from behind her.

"Shut up," she barked before she glared at Roxas, "Familiar."

Roxas raised his hands to his lips before he looked at the girl with a frown.

"What was tha…?" he questioned before his body began to heat up. He clenched his teeth. It felt like he was fighting Axel when he would catch the entire area on fire. He hissed out, "What did you do to me!"

"Don't worry; it will all be over soon. Your familiar runes are being engraved into you." Louise said as she frowned at him.

Roxas looked up at her in anger before another wave of heat erupted from his body. It started to concentrate itself on his left hand. Immediately he pulled his glove off. There was a flash of light as strange writing began to form on the back of his hand. It took only a second before the runes were completed.

Roxas panted a few times before the heat finally began to fade away. He gave a sigh of relief before he jumped to his feet. "What was that, what did you do to me?"

The balding man approached. "You, young man, were summoned by Louise here to be her familiar."

"I was summoned?" Roxas asked as he glanced between his hand and the man.

"Yes. My name is Professor Colbert. You have very particular runes on your hand. Would you mind if I had a look?"

Roxas looked at the man skeptically, but could not feel any hostile intent from him. Slowly, he raised his hand to the professor so he could get a better look.

"That is very fascinating indeed." He said as he quickly drew the runes on his notebook before he turned to the rest of the students. "That concludes the lectures for the day. Please take the remaining time to bond with your new familiars."

"Hold on!" Roxas said as he stopped Colbert from leaving. "What is this? What are these runes?"

Professor Colbert turned to Roxas once again. "The runes signify the bond between master and familiar. As long as you have those runes, you are her familiar."

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked at the engravings on his skin. He felt his anger increase.

"Get real. There is no way…" he started, but then noticed that the Professor was already gone. Looking around, Roxas watched in amazement as the people simply began to fly away. He had been able to fly in Neverland before, but without the pixie dust he was only able to glide. These people were straight up flying away.

"HEY!"

Roxas cringed as he turned to the abnormally loud voice. It was the girl named Louise. The one that supposedly summoned him.

"Don't just stand there, follow me!" she barked.

Roxas frowned. "Why should I listen…"

 _Why don't you listen to your masters every command?_

Roxas blinked a few times as he felt his argument die in his throat. Surprise filled him as he then replied, "Alright, I will follow you."

Louise just huffed before she stuck her nose in the air and walked toward the massive building.

Roxas paused for a moment, before he followed her. "Where did that come from?"

* * *

Roxas soon found himself sitting near a pile of straw in a very large room. Louise was sitting at a table, glaring at him. It was getting later in the afternoon, so the sun was shining brightly through the window. There was silence for a long time before Roxas cleared his throat.

"Why are you glaring at me?"

Louise erupted like a volcano. She waved her arms hysterically, shouting, "Why did I have to get a commoner for a familiar? Why couldn't I have something cool, like a dragon, or a griffin? Why this pathetic peasant? I was supposed to get something amazing to I could rub it in Kirche's face!"

Roxas raised his eyebrows as he watched Louise throw a fit. Did everyone her age act like a child around here? He hoped not, because that would be terrible for everyone.

He didn't really care at the moment as to what her problem was; instead he was still trying to understand what was happening. From what he gathered so far, he was summoned to a new world, one that he had never visited before during all his travels in the Organization. He was separated from Sora. He had no idea how that would affect Sora but he did say that Roxas deserved to be his own person.

Was this finally his chance?

Roxas was torn from his thoughts when a shirt and skirt hit him dead in the face. He peeled them off to see Louise undressing right in front of him. He looked at her curiously, not really knowing how to react because he had never been in this kind of situation before.

So he just sat there.

Louise continued to undress until she finally pulled her nightgown over her head. She turned to look at her familiar, who was just sitting there with a few articles of her clothing scattered around him. He made no move to pick them up.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go wash those for me and have my outfit ready for the morning. It had been a long day and I am going to bed early. If you don't have those done by morning, then there will be no food for you."

Roxas took a moment to absorb what she just said, partially because he could not believe it. She was demanding that he wash her clothes and even had the gall to threaten him if he didn't.

He glared at the girl again. "Now you listen here…"

 _Why don't you obey her? Why don't you follow her every command?_

Roxas blinked again as he, once again, felt his argument die.

"Ok, I will wash them, master," he said, once again surprising himself. He cringed and wanted to vomit after those words came out of his mouth. This wasn't him, at all. What was happening to him?

Louise narrowed her eyes suspiciously at hearing his first few worlds, but at his reply, she gave a nod. Turning to bed, she then commanded, "Good, now leave."

Roxas picked up the laundry basket and left the room, trying to figure out why he was saying those things, and why he was being so submissive. As he was walking down the hall, his mind was in utter confusion.

"Why did I say that? Why am I doing all of this for that girl?" he asked himself as he walked down the hallway.

"You know, I am very good at baking soufflés."

Roxas rounded to corner with his basket to see two people standing there. He recognized one of them making fun of Louise earlier, but the other one was a brown-haired girl he had never seen before.

"Well, I would be delighted to try one sometime."

"Oh, really?" the girl replied as she clasped her hands together.

"Of course Katie, don't you know I could never lie to you?"

"Oh, lord Guiche!"

Roxas watched in fascination for a second before he left them. They were so engrossed in each other's eyes that they didn't even notice him slip by. He continued to walk down the hall as he pondered at how those two talked to each other.

"This world is weird. Why were they looking at each other like that?" Roxas asked himself. He had never seen two people act that way around each other before and it was a bit confusing. It was like how Belle and the Beast treated one another, yet… felt so meaningless.

In the end, Roxas just shrugged his shoulders as he continued to walk down the hallway. He was a nobody. What did he know about it? And right now he didn't care that much because his master had ordered him to wash her clothes and he had to obey.

…Roxas stopped walking for a moment.

"Why do I have to obey her?" he asked himself before shaking his head.

Walking down to the ground level of the academy, he looked around for somewhere he could wash the clothing. He was walking around for a while until he spotted someone.

"Excuse me."

The person, a girl in a maid uniform, turned to look at him before smiling, "Yes?"

Roxas gave a sigh of relief, glad that this person seemed to be nice enough to help him.

"I was ordered to wash these clothes, but I don't know where, could you help me?"

The maid smiled.

"Of course. I will show you so please follow me," she said as she began to walk away. They walked in silence for a few moments before the maid turned to him, "What's your name?"

"I'm Roxas."

She looked him over once. "Oh, you must be the familiar that Louise summoned."

Roxas looked at her curiously. "How did you know?"

"I work with most of the servants at the academy, and I didn't recognize you. Also, no servant is allowed to wear something like that when they work," she said as she pointed to his coat.

"Well, that is true I guess. But unfortunately, yes, I am Louise's familiar."

"That is rather unfortunate. I serve Louise every so often," she said as she giggled slightly, "I don't think I could do it."

"Truthfully, I don't know if I can either," he said as his mind went back to why he was even serving her in the first place. Why didn't he just open a corridor of darkness and leave? It was like something was holding him back. Roxas shook his head as he turned to the maid, "What about you? What is your name?"

The bubbly maid perked up. Roxas narrowed his eyes; he was already starting to notice the dichotomy between the servants and the 'nobles' around here, but was it really so rare for them to be just treated cordially?

"I'm Siesta. I work as a maid here," she said before smiling at him, "I have to say, all things considering, you seem to be taking the whole familiar thing very well."

"I have been through a lot," he replied before he turned to her, "It seems that I am a long way from home. Where exactly am I?"

Siesta and Roxas eventually reached the spot where clothing was supposed to be washed, though they continued to talk long after they reached their destination. Siesta explained all about the Tristian Academy of Magic, about Nobles and their ability to use magic. She also explained the role of commoners and their usual mistreatment from the nobles.

Roxas sat there and listened to her as they both cleaned the laundry, absorbing the information like a sponge. He didn't really say anything, just asked a few questions, which Siesta was more than happy to answer for him. She also shared a lot about herself as well.

"Thank you Siesta." Roxas smiled at the maid as he put the last of the laundry in the basket.

"You're very welcome. Thank you for talking with me," she said before she paused with a confused look on her face, "Oh no. I was talking so much about myself that I didn't even learn anything about you."

Roxas gave a small laugh. "I am not that interesting."

Siesta gave a small, playful frown as she gently swatted his arm. "Don't say that. I bet you have your fair share of stories. Oh, I have to go. I still have some things I need to take care of."

"Well, I don't want to keep you. I hope to see you around," Roxas said as he watched her smile at him before leaving. He really enjoyed talking with her. At least she could hold a conversation, unlike his master.

…Why was he calling her his master?

Roxas shook his head again before he walked back to Louise's room. He gently opened the door to see her sleeping in her bed. Slowly, Roxas placed her laundry at the side of her bed before leaving the room again.

Finding himself outside, he noticed that the sun was setting. It was beautiful, no matter how many times he had seen it.

Looking around, Roxas gazed at the top of the academy, at the highest tower. He glanced around to make sure there was nobody around before he clenched his hands.

"Time to see what is still available to me," he whispered as he stretched forth his right hand.

Immediately, a black oval of wispy darkness erupted from the ground.

The Corridor of Darkness.

The dark entrance beckoned him to come forward. Roxas grinned before he entered the abyss. He was only in the darkness for a brief moment before he exited through the portal, finding himself exactly where he wanted to be.

The top of Tristian Academy's highest tower. The top of the tower had a flat surface, allowing him to walk around, but all he really wanted was just the view.

Roxas made his way to the edge of the tower before swinging his legs over the edge and sitting down to enjoy the sunset. It was still beautiful, no matter what world you were on. Memories of the times with his best friend Axel began to surface. All the laughs they shared on the Twilight Tower, all the missions, all the fights, everything.

Roxas also remembered the times he spent with Hayner, Pence, and …

Roxas raised both his eyebrows.

"Hayner, Pence, and …what was her name again?" he asked himself out loud. He could clearly see her in his mind's eye, but her name was vanishing.

"What is going on?" Roxas asked himself. "I know she was there, what was her name. There was Hayner, P… P…" Roxas adopted a look of horror as the second name began to disappear from his mind.

"What's going on! How can I be forgetting them?" he questioned. Even when he was becoming a part of Sora, he never forgot who his friends were. What was different this time? What was happening that was making him forget? Did something happen to hi…

Roxas's eye widened as he thought of the only thing that that could possibly be affecting him.

Only one thing happened to him since he got here, and it was branded on his left hand. He removed the glove from his hand and looked at the runes. They were shimmering slightly.

That was more than enough evidence.

"These runes are wiping my memory?" he asked through clenched teeth. Roxas was beyond furious. He literally had nothing that he could call his own but a name, a number, and his memories. Those were the only things that were truly his, and he was not about to lose them.

"NO!" he shouted as he jumped to his feet. What could he do? How could he rid himself of the runes? How could he break the bond between him and the person who summoned him? He couldn't think of a way to break… Break. Unbind.

Unlock.

Roxas grit his teeth as he whipped his right hand to the side. There was a flash of darkness before his iconic weapon appeared in his hand.

The Oblivion Keyblade.

"The Keyblade can unlock anything. I am not losing what little is actually mine!" Roxas said as he pointed his keyblade at the runes on his hand, praying that it would work before he lost his memories.

 _You don't want to destroy the bond!_

Roxas's eyes widened as he looked at the runes on his hand. They were shimmering brightly. "I don't want to?"

 _You want Louise to be your master._

Roxas felt his anger die down as the thoughts began to penetrate his mind.

"I want her to be my master," he said, almost robotically. He was about to lower his Keyblade, but he then suddenly stopped when he found that Hayner's name was vanishing from his mind along with his best friend Axel's. Immediately, his anger returned.

"NO!" Roxas shouted, finally realizing where all of these thoughts were coming from. "This is my existence! There is no way I will let myself be enslaved again!"

The Oblivion started to radiate with light. A circle began to form at the tip.

 _YOU DON'T WANT TO DESTROY THE BOND!_

The idea hammered at Roxas. He violently shook his head as he continued to charge the beam, trying to ignore his instincts and growing desire to be Louise's slave.

 _YOU WANT LOUISE TO BE YOUR MASTER, YOU WANT TO BE HER FAMILIAR!_

"NO! I am ME. I am NOBODY'S FAMILIAR!" Roxas shouted before he let the Keyblade eject a beam of light onto his hand. The beam penetrated the runes, completely severing all connections to the bound. Roxas grasped in agony as he raised his hand and watched as the runes began to glow with incredible brightness.

He lowered his keyblade, but the runes continuing to shine bright, but seconds later the light dimmed down. The runes flashed once before they slowly vanished from the back of his hand. Roxas fell to a knee, panting. His head felt like it had been smashed with one of Saïx's claymore's. Whatever those runes were, they did not want him to undo the bond.

What Roxas wanted more than anything was to exist and to be his own person. Now that he had the opportunity, he was not going to be enslaved. Not by Organization XIII, nor by a bratty little girl. He had enough of taking orders. Now it was his turn to live.

Slowly, Roxas got his breath back and turned to the sunset, admiring its beauty as the memories washed over him once again.

"Hayner, Pence, and Olette," he said, smiling as his memories returned to him and the voice in his head was gone. "Now all I need is some Sea Salt Ice-cream."

Roxas continued to watch the sun set without any interruption. He let his mind wander on many thoughts.

He was really here.

He didn't have to follow the destiny of all the Nobodies. He didn't have to vanish into a nonexistent oblivion. If anything else, he at least owed Louise for that. Roxas put the glove back on his left hand, making a decision to repay her by continuing to be her familiar. However, he was not going to be her slave.

As long as she treated him right, he'll stay. If not, well it would only be Louise's fault that he left.

A small gust of wind brushed up against Roxas's back. He turned to see the short, blue-haired girl from before. She was riding on top of the blue dragon.

Roxas and the girl looked at each other for a few moments before the girl sat on the ground, leaned against the dragon, and started to read her book.

Roxas stared at the duo for a few seconds before he shrugged and turned back toward the sun set. He enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. For some reason, this atmosphere was… oddly familiar. Had he sat on the edge of twilight tower with someone else besides Axel?

Little did Roxas know, Tabitha lowered her book a bit and stared at his back, wondering how in the world he had gotten on top of the tower.

A few hours passed before the sun was completely below the horizon. Night had settled and the stars shined bright. Roxas had to admit, the two moons was something new, but it just seemed to add to the majesty of the night sky.

A shift behind him signified that the girl and the dragon were moving. He turned towards them to see the girl crawling onto the dragon's back. She then turned to look at him.

"Ride?"

She was so quiet that Roxas almost didn't catch her question.

"Do I need a ride?" he asked to clarify.

The girl gave a small nod. Roxas stared at them for a second before he shook his head.

"No thanks," he said as he continued to look up at the stars. "I'll be getting down from here on my own."

Tabitha stared at him for a second before she nudged Sylphid to leave. She spared him one more glance before they flew out of sight. Roxas gave a small smile as he saw that he was alone before he stood up. He stretched forth his hand and the corridor of darkness appeared before him. He walked through only to find himself at the academy grounds once again.

He didn't really trust anyone in this world yet, so he decided to keep his powers to himself for now, or at least until he knew what these mages were capable of. This world was very interesting, and for some reason he felt himself not wanting to leave it yet, even though he had the power to do so.

Roxas took one last look at the sky before he turned and walked toward the academy. This was his new life, and he was going to make the most of it.

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. First chapter down, and I have to say, it has been a lot of fun. Do you like it? Do you hate it? Let me know. How was my interpretation of Roxas so far? I have to be honest, he is a very difficult character to nail sometimes. But anyway, thank you for taking the time to read and look forward to the next chapter coming soon.**

 **Again, thank you readerdreamer5625 for taking the time to edit this chapter.**

 **Until then!**


	2. Chapter 2: Existence

**Authors note: Wow...I am speechless. Thank you for all the support on the first chapter. I did not think i would get this much attention so far. You all are the best.**

 **This chapter was a lot of fun to write, but i feel that a few of you may think that i portrayed the nobles a bit harsher than i should have. I even thought about toning it down a bit after i re-read it a few times, but ultimately decided to keep things how they were. It really gives more opportunity for character growth and development.**

 **I would also like to mention that this story will mostly follow the anime cannon, but there will be some crucial differences. I am sorry if this discourages you from reading, but there many moments in the cannon that i really enjoyed...And some that i really didn't.**

 **Also, the scene with Sylphid and Roxas was inspired by "The Hill of Swords" by gabriel blessing. It was just so adorable that i had to modify it and add it to the story. I just want to site my sources and i am sorry if i bugged any of you who are fans of Gabriel. If you have not read the fanfic, i would recommend it highly.**

 **I also got a comment about Derfflinger. Not to worry because he will play a important role, but not until much later in the story. For me, there was no point in having Roxas wield him.**

 **Also, for those who think i need a beta. I thought about getting one, but honestly, if i did it would just take so much longer to post each chapter. There will be some errors here and there but i am writing this story just for the fun of it. I apologize if not getting a beta bothers you.**

 **Warning: Spelling is the bane of my Existence. Please forgive me for any error you come across.**

 **Disclaimer: I own Nothing.**

 **UPDATE: 9-3-15: Thanks to The Lord Of Pages, the spelling should not be much of a problem anymore. If you didn't know, The Lord Of Pages is my Beta and I am grateful for his hard work in fixing the mistakes I missed. Along with fixing grammar errors, he also fixed up some sentence structures to they make more sense, capitalization of names and specific objects, and much more.**

* * *

A heart in the Void

Chapter 2

Roxas looked around in confusion. Currently he was back in Twilight Town, right at the train station below Twilight Tower. In front of him were two figures that were wearing the same black coat as him. What was really strange about the scene was that he was one of those figures.

"Is this a dream?" Roxas asked himself as he watched the scene.

The Roxas he was watching was cradling the other figure in his lap, making sure she didn't fall to the ground. The other figure was a girl he had never seen before in his life, but for some reason, felt extremely familiar.

He could tell that they were exchanging words, but he could not hear what they were saying. It was not moments later before ice-like crystals started to spread and cover her body. She reached up and tenderly caressed his cheek before her entire body was encased. Seconds later she completely vanished into thousands of particles of light.

Roxas stared in confusion as the other Roxas gently reached down and picked up the only remains of the girl.

A seashell.

While watching the scene, Roxas felt tears run down his face. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion as he reached up and wiped them away. Curiously enough, he was not the only one. The other Roxas was quietly weeping as well.

* * *

Roxas gasped as he jumped awake. He took a few deep breaths before calming himself down. Looking around, he found himself sitting near the pile of straw in Louise's room. The sun was barely coming over the horizon, sending its rays through the window.

"What kind of dream was that?" Roxas asked himself. It almost felt like a memory, but he didn't remember anything like that ever happening to him. Who was that girl?

Roxas shook his head as he pushed those questions into the back of his mind. He looked toward the only bed that was in the room, currently occupied by the person that summoned him yesterday.

"I really was summoned. At least that wasn't a dream." Roxas mused to himself quietly. After a few more moments, he quickly stood on his feet. Truthfully, he was excited. This was a new beginning and he was the author of the story. He was in control of his own fate. There were just so many possibilities that awaited him. Roxas couldn't help but smile as he thought about that. Here, there was no Organization XIII, there were no nobody's, and for now it seemed like there were no heartless. He was completely free, able to do whatever he wanted without anyone telling him otherwise. Just the thought of all he could learn and experienced exited him.

However, there was one thing that he needed to do.

Roxas turned to the girl who had made it all possible. He was grateful for when she did and even though it may have been unintentional. He was going to repay her somehow. Gently, he walked over to her bed and nudged her shoulder.

"Louise, wake up."

"Muuu…"

Roxas cocked his head to the side curiously before nudged her again, a little harder this time. "Louise! Wake up."

"Munay…" Louise groaned as she sat up groggily, her eyes barley open as she looked around. She then looked up at Roxas. "Who are you?"

Roxas blinked a few times before he raised an eyebrow. "Roxas. You summoned me yesterday, remember?"

Louise stretched her arms into the air as she slowly began to rise. "Oh yes, the failure of a familiar I managed to summon." She said as she stood from her bed. "I hope you managed to wash all of the cloths before you went to bed."

Roxas felt his eyebrow twitch. This early in the morning and she was already beginning to piss him off. He pointed to the pile of clean laundry in the basket.

"And you set out my cloths as well?"

Roxas grit his teeth as his eyebrow started twitching uncontrollably. He pointed to the neatly folded pile of clothing on the table.

Louise looked at him with a frown before raising her arms to the side. "Dress me," she commanded.

Roxas stared at her, almost not sure if he heard her right. She couldn't be serious could she? This girl didn't even know how to dress herself? What kind of world was this?

"You need my help to get dressed?" He asked in disbelief.

Louise looked offended. "Of course not! But a noble never dresses themselves when they have a servant around."

Roxas blinked obliviously as he looked around for a servant, but he was the only one in the room.

"I was talking about YOU!" Louise shouted.

"I thought I was a familiar."

"IT'S THE SAME THING!" Louise screeched, finally loosing what little patience she had. "You are my familiar, my servant, my slave. Anything I command you to be, you will be. Anything I command you to do, you will do because I am your MASTER." She spat master out for emphasis. "Now dress me! Or you will get no food and you will stay here until you learn your lesson!"

Roxas stared at Louise, his mouth slightly ajar. He could not believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. Never in all of his time in the organization had anyone said anything like that to him. Even Larxene, who hated his guts for some reason, didn't go beyond insulting him constantly.

But this girl had the gall to actually call him a slave simply because she summoned him to this world.

Instantly, his disbelief turned into anger. "Get real!" he said harshly. "I am not your slave. You have no control over me."

Now it was Louise's turn to stare at him in disbelief. Her familiar had actually gone against her wishes. That was not supposed to happen. Wasn't a familiar supposed to listen to whatever their master commands of them?

She began to shake in anger as she lowered her arms, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes. "It seems that you don't know your place familiar. I summoned you, therefore I am your master, and you have to obey me. If you do not, I will not hesitate to punish you."

With each word, Roxas felt more anger well up inside him. He swiftly turned around, ready to storm out the door. "And what are you going to do about it? There is nothing you can do to…"

CLICK!

Roxas's eyes widened as he felt something lock around his neck. He stumbled slightly as he was yanked back. Slowly he raised his hand to his neck to feel a collar firmly latched around it. He looked down, only to notice that a chain was attached to the collar. His eyes followed the chain until it reached the foot of Louis's bed. Finally, he looked at Louise, his mouth slightly open as he processed what just happened.

He was chained to Louis's bed by a collar, like he was some sort of animal.

Louise had a smug look on her face as she twirled the keys around her finger. She quickly changed into her cloths as Roxas still tried to get over his disbelief.

"I am going to breakfast now. There will be no food for you because of your atrocious behavior. When I get back, I'll expect to see that you learned your lesson and to hear your deepest apologies for your disrespect." She said with a grin as she exited the room.

The sound of the door slamming jolted Roxas from his befuddlement. He could not understand how anyone could chain someone up like this just for going against their orders. Roxas could feel anger building up again, causing him to question his decision to be this girl's familiar. He knew that he could unlock the collar easily, that's not what was bothering him. What truly pissed him off was the fact that the girl had actually chained him up, like he wasn't even human, like he didn't even matter.

Like he was nothing.

Roxas had had enough of that for one life time. Currently, he was shaking in anger. After finally getting his chance to be his own person, this girl was trying to undermine that by treating him like this.

"Not Happening!" Roxas hissed as clenched his fist. The Oblivion appeared in a flash and he quickly turned the tip of the weapon to his neck. Immediately, the collar unlocked with a click before he watched it fall to the ground. He rubbed his neck a few times before dismissing his keyblade. Right now he needed to cool off his anger, so he turned and walked out the door, not caring what Louise had to say about it.

It was only a few moments later that he found himself outside again. It was a wonderfully sunny day and the small breeze was a pleasant touch as it aided him in cooling off his anger. Despite his eventful morning with Louise, Roxas had to admit that it was nice not having to worry about constantly fighting heartless and nobody's. It was almost unusual how peaceful it was.

Grumble

Roxas's hand went to his stomach. It had been a long time since he had anything to eat. He reached into his coat pockets, to see if he had anything. He felt a few Elixirs that he could only guess were on him when he was finally absorbed into Sora. They had unmatched healing properties and could cure any illness, but they were not filling. Plus, he only had a few of them left, so he needed to save them.

Roxas gave a small sigh as he continued to walk around the grounds, trying to think of anywhere he could get something to eat. He knew that going to Louise was a bad idea, not only because she said she wouldn't feed him, but she still thought he was locked in her room. Also, she was the last person he wanted to see.

As he continued to explore the academy, he spotted a few of the familiars that were lurking around. They came in all shapes and sizes. A lot of them looked like they could be passed off as heartless, but they lacked the heartless emblem. They were also very docile, harmlessly interacting with other people without any problems. He was so focused on them that he didn't watch where he was going, causing him to bump into someone.

"EEP!"

Roxas and the person stumbled, but not enough to actually fall over. Regaining his bearing's, Roxas turned to the person. "Sorry about that…Siesta?" he said, recognizing the cheerful maid from the night before.

"Oh, Roxas. Good to see you." She replied with a smile as she dusted her apron off.

"Sorry" He said as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I was distracted by all the familiars." A giant eyeball floated past them catching both their attention.

"Yes, there are a lot of interesting familiars this year." Siesta commented before she turned to Roxas. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be with Louise?"

Roxas unconsciously growled at the mention of her name, still sore from her attitude towards him. "No." He said before his stomach grumbled again. "Louise said she wasn't going to feed me, so I would rather not be anywhere near her."

Siesta frowned before she grabbed Roxas's hand. "That's awful. Please follow me. I will get you something." She said as she began to drag him away.

Roxas blinked a few times. "You will? Why?"

Siesta shot him a strange look. "Why not? You're hungry."

Roxas looked at her curiously as he followed. Why was she so different than Louise. They were complete opposites. While Louise was haughty and prideful, Siesta was happy and caring. From what he could see so far, Siesta was far less privileged than Louise, so why was she so happy, while Louise was just angry.

"This world is so strange." He murmured to himself.

Roxas continued to follow Siesta for a few minutes before she turned to him. "Roxas, you are her familiar right? Why is she refusing to feed you?"

Roxas glared as he remembered the events from the morning. "We had a disagreement. She chained me to her bed and left me there."

Siesta frowned as well before shaking her head. "That's not unheard of for nobles. Many of them punish their familiars if they disobey. Though it is unusual for a familiar to rebel against their master." She said before she raised an eyebrow. "If she chained you to her bed, how did you escape?"

"I have my ways." Roxas replied before he glanced over at Siesta. He reached over and grasped the glove on his left hand. "Siesta, what would happen if Louise didn't have a familiar?"

Siesta looked at him in confusion. "Well, she would end up like the other mages that were not able to summon one."

Roxas stopped himself from taking off his glove showing Siesta that runes were gone. "What? What happens to them?"

"They get expelled from the academy. They will most likely be considered failures and some are even stripped of their status as a noble. Summoning a familiar is a sacred passage, so it one does not show up, it can discredit the noble."

Roxas blinked as he lowered both of his hands back down to his sides. "So, if Louise didn't have a familiar, she would be expelled?"

Siesta raised an eyebrow at his questions, but continued to answer them. "Yes. But Mrs. Vallière would probably have it harder. She was never as gifted with magic as the others, so she may even be stripped of her status as a noble and disowned by her family."

Roxas went silent as he heard that. It seemed like he was hasty when he made his decision to destroy the runes. He had no idea what affect it would have on Louise. Unconsciously, he clenched his left hand as he shook his head.

No.

He made the right decision because the runes were wiping his memory and making him submissive to Louise. He was not going to deal with that again.

However, it looked like Louise would be in trouble if someone found out that he was no longer her familiar, so he was not going to tell anyone about it, not even Louise. He could not ruin her life after she gave him the chance to exist. Even though she was angry and mean, she didn't deserve that, did she?

* * *

Roxas soon found himself sitting at a table with a bowl of stew in front of him. Siesta had gone about her daily chores after she brought him to the kitchen. He was grateful for her kindness. In a funny way, her bubbly attitude and kind personality kind of reminded him of Sora. Not to mention she and the other people here sure knew how to cook. Seriously, these were leftovers from the nobles? He had never has such good food in his life.

The chefs were extremely kind as well. They greeted both Siesta and him with open arms. When Siesta told them the situation, they immediately reacted by pouring him a bowl of stew. It was so strange to see the difference between them and his experiences with the nobles so far.

It took only a few moments before he was done. He thanked the head Chef, Marteau, for the meal and was about to leave, but Marteau stopped him and forced a loaf of bread into his hands, telling him if he ever needed a meal to stop by. Roxas was again amazed by their generosity before he agreed. It looked like his food problem was now over.

Leaving the kitchen, Roxas found himself browsing the academy grounds again as he slowly tore off pieces of the loaf and eating them. Despite the rough start, this day was turning out to be pretty nice. He had a nice conversation with Siesta, he met some very nice people in the kitchens, had a great meal, and was now snacking on a delicious loaf of bread. Maybe this world would not be so bad.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him. Roxas froze before he looked over his shoulder to see what had snuck up on him. Roxas came face to face with the giant blue dragon he saw yesterday on top of Tristain academy's tower, the one that was carrying the blue-haired girl. The enormous creature towered over him while fixing him with an intense stare.

For a few moments, Roxas and the dragon continued to stare at each other, neither making a move, before Roxas slowly tore off another piece of bread and raised it to his mouth. Curiously, the Dragon followed his every move with its eyes. Roxas blinked a few times before he lowered the morsel. The dragon's eyes continued to follow the chunk of bread with keen interest.

"Hmm." Roxas hummed curiously as he waved the bread in front of the dragon, causing the creature's eyes to follow.

"You want it?" Roxas asked. Interestingly enough, the dragon tore its eyes away from the bread before staring at him with its big green eyes, as if to ask if it was ok. Suddenly, it began to nod its head. Roxas wasn't surprised that the animal could understand him. After all, Sora talked to Donald and Goofy all the time. He gave a small smile before he ate the small morsel in his hand and tossed the rest of the loaf to the dragon. Immediately, the dragon snatched it out of the air and began to joyfully chomp it down. In a matter of seconds it was gone and Roxas was left with a happy, purring dragon. "Ok then." Roxas said as he turned to walk away, ready to continue exploring the academy.

He was cut off though as the dragon quickly darted in front of him, blocking his path. Its massive head moved closer to him before sniffing around his body.

Roxas cocked his eyebrow in confusion as he raised both his hands to the side. "Sorry, I don't have any more." He said. The dragon ignored him as it started to nuzzle his body. Roxas stood there like a stone, having no idea what was going on.

Suddenly, the dragon became impatient. It scooped its head under Roxas's hand before purring again. Curiously, Roxas unconsciously started to scratch the top of the dragon's head with one hand and under its jaw with the other. The purring began to increase.

Roxas was surprised for a moment as he continued to scratch the dragon all around its head. "You…like that?" The dragon nodded as it continued to purr. "Hmm..." Roxas hummed as he continued to scratch the dragon. Truthfully, this was a new for him because he never had that much experience with animals, especially not giant dragons.

Suddenly, the dragon pulled its head away from Roxas and snatched up the back of his coat with its jaws.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

The dragon ignored him before walking around in a circle. It then lay down in a ball and sat Roxas right in the center. The nobody tried to scamper away, but the dragon extended it wing over him, blanketing him warm darkness.

Roxas sat there like a stone as he felt the dragon's rhythmic breathing against his back. It wasn't until he heard and felt the dragon starting to purr that he realized he was not in any danger. Again, this was another strange experience for the nobody. But, however strange it was, at least it was comfortable leaning against the large beast. So much so, that he gave a small yawn before making himself comfortable, thinking about all that he had experienced that day so far. It brought a small smile to his face. "I guess this world is not that bad."

* * *

Louise was not in a good mood. Breakfast was uneventful as usual, but the trouble started when she went back to her room. She expecting to see her familiar still attached to the foot of her bed, begging for her forgiveness and proclaiming his undying loyalty to her.

Instead, she opened the door to see and empty room with an unlocked collar lying on the floor. She was beyond furious. Who dare let her familiar out? How did they let him out? She was the only one with the key to the collar and it was on her person throughout breakfast. There was no way he picked the lock because it was magically enforced.

Blinded by rage, Louise was stomping around the academy grounds, looking for her disobedient familiar and thinking of all the different ways she could torture him into obedience. What had happened? When she first summoned him, he was at least obedient. Now he wasn't even listening to her.

Louise looked around at all the familiars and their respected partners. Today was a day that they were supposed to bond with their familiars, but she had other plans when she found hers.

"FAMILIAR! WHERE ARE YOU! COME OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Roxas was shaken awake by a familiar screech. He blinked his eyes a few times before realizing he was still wrapped in a cocoon of dragon. It was so comfortable and warm that he actually fell asleep for a few moments. It sure beat the pile of straw next to Louise's bed.

"COME OUT AND FACE YOUR PUNISHMENT!"

Roxas cringed at the voice. It sounded like nails on a chalk board. Truthfully, he contemplated staying in here so the dragon could continue to hide him and he would not have to deal with her.

"GET HERE NOW!"

Roxas heard the dragon give a small growl, obviously annoyed that it was disturbed by the loud noise. It shuffled slightly before trying to make itself more comfortable. Roxas gave a small smile as he patted the dragon on the side. As much as he didn't want to, knew what he had to do. "It doesn't look like she is going to stop unless I go to her. Would you let me out?"

The dragon gave a protestant warble as it curled around him tighter, causing Roxas to chuckle.

"FAMILIAR! I AM LOOSING MY PATIENCE."

The dragon gave another annoyed grunt causing Roxas to smile. "You know she won't stop unless I go. If we both want to stay sane, one of us has to make a sacrifice."

The dragon gave a sorrowful warble before it retracted its wing from around him. Roxas squinted as his eyes tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. He looked around and saw Louise stomping around the grounds looking for him, swinging her little fists through the air. With a sigh, he heaved himself away from the dragon and began to walk over to her. However, the dragon also stood up and followed him.

"Over here Louise."

Louise spun like a ballerina; her face beat red from anger. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? WHO LET YOU OUT? WHO SAID YOU COULD COME OUT OF MY ROOM?"

Roxas cringed again as he felt his anger rising. He didn't say a thing as he watched her throw another childish tantrum. Louise continued to rant before she lost her breath. She looked up at him with a glare, "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Roxas shook his head, trying to crush his anger by forcing himself to remember that she was the one that gave him a chance to exist and if he told her that he was not her familiar, then she would be in deep trouble. She was just making it so hard to be nice. Roxas looked at the dragon behind him, who cocked its head slightly. He then turned back to Louise.

"I had a nice nap and made a new friend." He said simply.

There was silence for a few moments before Louise erupted again, screaming at him almost illegibly for about five minutes before she collapsed on a nearby chair. "Get me some tea while I contemplate your punishment." She growled as she massaged her temples.

Roxas grit his teeth before turning around and leaving, grateful his ears had a chance to relax. The dragon had similar feelings as it followed him. It walked up behind him and gently nudged his back. Roxas turned around before giving the giant lizard a smile. He rubbed the ridge of its eye and scratched under its jaw as it cooed lovingly.

"Wow Tabitha, I am surprised she didn't bite him yet. She doesn't let anyone but you touch her."

Roxas and the dragon turned to the noise. It came from the red-haired girl from yesterday. She was walking next to the other girl from last night. Funny enough, she still had her face buried in a book. The petite girl glanced up from the pages curiously as she watched Roxas pat her dragon.

"Sylphid?"

Roxas turned to the dragon. "Your name is Sylphid?" he asked, causing the dragon to nod its massive head. "I'm Roxas."

Sylphid cooed again and nuzzled him before turning to its master.

"Tabitha, your Sylphid seems to like Louise's commoner." Kirche said to her friend.

Tabitha went back to reading her book before she turned and began to walk away. "Come."

The dragon immediately followed, but not before rubbing her large head against Roxas one more time for good measure. Roxas watched as they walked away before he turned to the red head girl that was approaching him. She stopped right in front of him before bringing one of her hands to her chin, placing the other arm under her chest as she adopted a thinking pose.

"So, you wouldn't mind telling me how much Louise is paying you to act as her familiar?" she asked with a smirk.

Roxas felt his stomach sink. Had someone figured it out already? How? "P-Paying me?" He asked nervously.

"Obviously she didn't summon you, so how much is she paying you to be her familiar?" she asked again as her smirk widened.

Roxas blew a sigh of relief as his panic died. "Nobody is paying me. I was really summoned by her."

The girl laughed before she walked closer. "You don't have to lie to me handsome, did she really summon you?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "My name is Roxas, and yes she did summon me."

Kirche raised both her brows as she realized that he brushed off her attempts at flirting without batting an eye. It seemed that she needed to take more drastic measures. "Well, I am Kirche. The person that just walked away was Tabitha. Say, why don't you come and be my familiar alongside Flame. I am sure that I can be better company than Louise." Kirche said as she learned forward, exposing a bit of her cleavage.

Roxas hadn't a clue what she was doing as he leaned back. She was seriously invading his personal space. He took a step back, his facial expression unchanging. "It's not like I want to be her familiar, but I owe her that much at least."

Kirche again raised her eyebrows in shock. He didn't even glance down from her face, nor did he even react in the slightest. Normally, this would have made her furious, but what he said caught her attention. "You owe her? Why do you owe her?"

"That is none of your business." Roxas replied as he took another step away from her.

Kirche was about to retort, but then she noticed her familiar was approaching Roxas. The salamander croaked once to get Roxas's attention. Roxas cocked an eyebrow before he knelt down to get a better look at the creature. It was large and bright red. The tip of its tail was lit up in a small flame.

Wondering if this creature was similar to Sylphid, Roxas reached forward and rubbed the top of the salamanders head. Almost unconsciously, the salamander leaned its head into Roxas's palm causing both Kirche and Roxas to raise their brows in surprise.

"Huh, well if Flame likes you, then you must not be all that bad."

"I guess. Sylphid liked it."

Kirche gave a small laugh. "Sylphid is a nice girl to Tabitha, but she had already bit a few that have tried to touch her. I wonder what makes you so different?"

"Who knows."

"FAMILIAR, WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG?"

Roxas, Kirche, and Flame all cringed as they looked to see the pink haired wonder stomping her way over. Roxas stood and braced himself for another screaming secession, but Kirche interviewed.

"Louise, you don't have to yell, we are standing right here."

Louise violently turned to Kirche. "Why are you talking to my familiar?" she shouted. Not even waiting for an answer, she turned to Roxas. "And why are you talking to Zerbst? Are you just going to wag your tail at every girl you come across, you DOG?" she accused while pointing a finger at him.

Roxas felt his anger skyrocket again. He didn't even do anything. What was she so upset about?

"Geez Louise, calm down and try to be civil. Or is that even too much for you." Kirche said with a saucy smirk.

Louise fumed but she grabbed Roxas's sleeve and dragged him away. She plopped down on the chair again before she glared at Roxas. "It seems that I have been too lenient on you Familiar. You need to learn when your master commands you to do something, you do it immediately! Now, GET ME MY TEA!"

Roxas felt like a raging bull, breathing through his noise as he tried to calm down. He quickly walked away toward the table with all the tea cups. Truthfully, he was now debating whether or not he cared if Louise got expelled. If she was going to keep this up, he didn't know if he could handle it. He was moving so fast, that he didn't even see siesta until it was too late…again.

CRASH!

Roxas ran right into her and this time she actually fell down, dropping her cake in the process. Roxas's anger was replaced with guilt. It was the second time he actually bumped into her that day.

"I am sorry, Siesta" He said as he extended a hand to her.

Siesta looked up at him before giving him a smile before taking his hand. "Don't worry about it Roxas, though I do admit, it is funny that we bump into each other twice in the same day."

Roxas scratched the back of his head again. "Yeah, I really need to learn to pay attention."

"We both do." She said before she looked at the cake on the ground. "Looks like I will have to get another one. Please excuse me Roxas." She said as she turned and walked back toward the cake table. Roxas watched for a few seconds before something caught his attention. Siesta was standing near the cake table when she was stopped by briefly by a girl with brown hair. Roxas recognized her as the one that was with the blond hair boy from yesterday, Guiche right? Siesta and the girl shared a few words before the girl gave Siesta a basket before turning and walking away.

Roxas shrugged before he turned back toward the tea table and fetched a cup for Louise. He then walked back to where she was sitting and set it in front of her before taking a seat.

"About time." Louise snapped as she took a sip. There were no words that where shared between them, Louise just glaring at him for some reason. "You were talking to that maid? How do you know her?"

"Who? Siesta?" he asked, causing Louise to nod, her eyes narrowing. "I met Siesta yesterday. She taught me how to clean your laundry last night."

"Last night? You didn't do anything funny to her did you?" she asked dangerously.

"Funny?" asked Roxas, having no idea what she was getting at.

"You did, didn't you? You really do chase after every girl you see. I really need to teach you some decency." Louise accused.

Roxas could not believe that she was angry once again. "What in the world are you talking about?" He shot back.

Roxas saw that Louise was going to erupt again, so to save some sanity, he tuned her out. He had no idea what Louise was talking about half of the time, or why she was always upset at him. He looked around absently, trying to focus on something else.

Suddenly, his eyes fixed on a certain spot. He saw that Siesta had just given a blond hair boy his cake. Roxas instantly recognized him as the boy from last night that was with the girl that had just talked to siesta. Currently he was sitting with another girl, a blond one with big curls in her hair.

After Siesta placed the cake in front of the boy, she shared a few words before she placed the basket in front of him with a smile.

Immediately, the blond girl started to shout at Guiche for some reason. To make things more confusing, the Burnette who had given the basket to Siesta quickly approached and joined the fray from out of nowhere. Finally it all ended with Guiche getting slapped by the two women before they stormed away.

Roxas had no idea what was what was going on nor why they had acted like that, but he didn't really care. However, that all changed when he witnessed what happened next.

Guiche rose to his feet and turned to Siesta. He then struck her across the face. Siesta cried out in pain as she fell to the ground, clasping her cheek. Guiche then started to yell at her.

Roxas grit his teeth as he shot to his feet, surprising Louise in the process. Just as he started to make his way over, he saw Guiche raise a rose and point it at Siesta. His eyes widened immensely when he saw two columns of dirt erupt from the ground and hover over the terrified maid. Immediately, he shot forward like a bullet.

"Seems that you need to be taught a lesson in tact." Guiche said as he raised his rose at Siesta.

"Please Master Guiche. Master Katie only asked me to deliver the Soufflé as a surprise. I didn't know." Siesta cried as the shadows of the dirt columns covered her. She looked up in horror.

"Couldn't you see I was with someone else? You just made those two ladies cry! How are you going to pay for this?"

"I…I…" Siesta stuttered as tears peaked at the corners of her eyes.

"Don't bother." Guiche said as he flicked he flicked his Rose downward. Siesta only looked up in horror as the columns descended upon her. She could only look up helplessly and watch as her life was about to end. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

Immediately, the columns hit the ground with a devastating force, sending dirt flying in all directions. Everyone around them watched. Most of them felt that Guiche had gone a little overboard, but Siesta was just a maid. They could always get a new one.

"That will teach you." Guiche said as he collapsed on his chair. He flicked his rose once and the dust immediately settled. He expected to see a pool of blood below the columns of earth, but curiously enough there was nothing, not even a shred of ripped clothing.

Siesta's eyes were still closed as she waited. She waited and waited, but nothing happened. Soon, she got enough courage to peak through her eyelids. Immediately afterwards, her eyes flew open as she looked up to see a very familiar face.

Roxas was currently holding her bridal style and both of them were a few meters away from the columns of earth. She looked up in wonder and complete confusion at what just happened. She swore she was dead, but somehow, Roxas had managed to save her.

"Roxas?"

Roxas didn't hear her. Complete fury filled his entire being. He had just managed to save her thanks to him immense speed, but he was almost too late.

Out of everyone, there was only one person that saw the whole thing. Tabitha slowly lowered her staff and dropped her book. She was about to save Siesta herself, but somehow, Roxas managed to beat her to it. Even though it didn't show on her face, she stared in wonder at how he moved so fast. It was almost like he was gliding over the ground at high speed.

Guiche looked at the base of the columns in confusion before he looked he heard Siesta say Roxas's name. He turned to see Roxas standing there with Siesta in his arms. He looked back between Roxas and the columns a few times in confusion before he narrowed his eyes.

"You dare interfere?"

Roxas was shaking in anger. He had been angry quite a few times since he got here, but nothing compared to the blind fury that he felt at this moment. This person tried to hurt Siesta. Siesta was his friend and nobody hurt his friends and got away with it. He was not going to let her end up like Xi…

Roxas frowned as a fragment of the dream he had last night flashed through his head. However, just as fast as it came, it was gone again. He shook his head before he turned and glared at Guiche.

"You seem like you need to be taught a lesson as well familiar. You should not stick your nose into things that don't concern you!"

Roxas didn't say anything as she gently placed Siesta on the ground. He didn't even look at her as his gaze was fixed on Guiche. Slowly, he began to make his way forward.

Guiche saw this and ran his hand though his hair dramatically. "You are quite eager to accept your punishment for interfering. I will tell you what; since I am such a graceful noble I will give you a chance." He said as he pointed his rose at Roxas. "If you bow down and beg for forgiveness, I will let you go and just deal with the maid. If you do not, then we settle this in a dual."

Roxas froze. This boy, Guiche, could not be serious. Did he really expect Roxas to abandon his friend just so he could save his own skin? What kind of screwed up world was this?

"Get real!" Roxas said through his clenched teeth. "Name the time and place."

Guiche had a dangerous glint in his eyes as he plastered a nasty grin on his face. "Vestri Court, one hour." He said as he turned, dramatically flipping his cloak in the process.

"FAMILIAR!"

Roxas viciously turned to Louise and glared at her. He really did not want to deal with this right now. "What!" He snapped.

Louise actually faltered for a second at the pure venom in his voice but quickly shook it off. She grabbed Roxas's sleeve and tried to drag him away. "We are going to Guiche. You are going to apologize and hopefully he will still forgive you."

Roxas finally had enough. He ripped his sleeve from Louise's grasp, causing her to whirl around and glare it him.

"You want me to apologize? You want me to just abandon my friend and let her die? That is not going to happen! I am not losing another friend." He said as another memory flashed though his head. This time, it was one of him and Axel sitting at Twilight tower. However, for a brief instant, there was someone else sitting there with them.

Just as fast as the memory appeared, it was gone again, causing Roxas to shake his head.

"Why does it matter?" Louise bit back as she pointed to Siesta. "She's just a maid. If she's gone, we can just get another one. She is less than nobles. She's a nobody."

Siesta bit the inside of her cheek to stop the tears from coming as she heard that. She knew that was the regular mindset of the nobles, but it still hurt to know that she was seen as the same as a broken teacup.

Replaceable.

Roxas stared Louise before he turned to the rest of the nobles. Most of them were nodding in agreement. He could not believe they would look on existence with such little value. He looked at Siesta, who was still trying to hold back tears.

"No, she is not a nobody. She has a heart, she has feelings, she has memories…She is lucky enough to exist in the first place." He said solemnly before he turned to Louise. "How can you say that you can just get another one if she dies? Do you realize that everyone only gets one life? One existence? What kind of monster are you? How can you and everyone else around here be so…heartless?" he said as he turned to the rest of the nobles with a glare. "Where is Vestri Court?"

Many of the nobles were glaring at his outburst, clearly offended by what he was saying."Over that way." Said a fat blond boy as he pointed in a certain direction. "I can't miss this. Guiche is going to destroy you. Bet that will teach you about respecting the nobles."

Roxas didn't respond as he turned and stormed toward Vestri court.

Louise stared at his retreating form with her mouth dropped open. She could not believe what her familiar just said to her. He dare call her a monster. That was one of the worst insults she had ever heard in her life. What was the deal with just one maid anyway? Louise ground her teeth as she chased after him.

Siesta on the other hand had her both hands over her mouth in shock as she heard him speak. Tears were leaking down her face as his words played through her mind. It warmed her heart to hear that at least someone around here saw some worth in her.

Suddenly, she found herself running toward Vestri court as well, hoping that Roxas could somehow pull off a miracle. She didn't want her new friend to get hurt for her sake.

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. Chapter two down. How did i do? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Let me know. Again, Roxas is sometimes a difficult person to nail because there is very little information about what he actually understands. I have chosen to make Roxas somewhat oblivious because there is not much evidence otherwise. Even his fake life at Twilight town didn't revel much about what he understands. But anyway, thank you for the time you took in reading this chapter. I really appreciate it. Please look forward to the next chapter coming soon.**

 **Thanks again The Lord of Pages for being my Beta.**

 **Until then, Later!**


	3. Chapter 3: Nobody

**Authors note: I thank you all for the reviews I have gotten. They help a lot and are a great motivation to continue this story. Sorry if these author notes bother you, but they help me answer questions and give explanations.**

 **A few of you are annoyed at how oblivious Roxas is. Truthfully, he was a Nobody that was born without emotions and memories. Everything he understands about emotions he had to learn from experience. Roxas has not experienced much in his life and therefore does not understand nearly as much as Sora does, especially about romance and love. (as portrayed in 358/2 days when he asked Xaldin and other members of the organization about what love was) Sora and Roxas have some similar personality quirks, but they are actually pretty different.**

 **Anyhow, a lot of you really wanted to see a dual welding beat-down on Guiche. While the fight will happen, it may not be in the way you are expecting. There are a few pet-peeves I have when reading crossovers. The first is that the character immediately tells everyone that they are from another world/dimension/time. For me, that kills any excitement on how people will react in the future when the persons abilities are reviled. For most stories, if the person makes that revile within the first couple chapters, I usually stop reading right there. My second pet-peeve is characters that immediately display all of their abilities right off the bat. Again, that kills any excitement for the story.**

 **I will slowly display Roxas's abilities and backstory as the story progresses. So please be patient with that. But seriously, there is no need for Roxas to go all out against someone like Guiche. We all know that Roxas could destroy him instantly.**

 **Anyway, I have said enough. Please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Update 11/25/2015: Thank you very much for you hard work, The Lord of Pages. Sorry it took a while to post this Beta'd chapter.**

 **Beta's Notes: Apologies for the wait, had school and personal life to deal with. I'm back, and this will be the third and then the fourth chapters I have beta'd. We're going up as we progress, by the time we're caught up, we should be good.**

* * *

A heart in the Void

Chapter 3

Roxas was standing in the grassy field of Vestri Court with Guiche standing right in front of him. Guiche was waving his rose through the air dramatically as he gave an elegant speech about the powers of nobles and there superiority over commoners. As Roxas waited until he was done running his mouth, he glanced around only to notice that quite the crowd had gathered to watch the dual. Apparently word had traveled fast.

Louise was standing with the crowd of people, her arms crossed and a sour expression on her face. She was still pissed at what Roxas said earlier and was hoping that Guiche could beat the rebellion out of him so he would stop being so stubborn. However, she did not want him to die. He was one of the few things that she had ever done right, and even though he was rebellious, he was still her familiar.

"Guiche, I permit you to defeat my familiar. However, if you kill him, you will be making enemies of the Vallière family." Louise said sternly.

Guiche ran his hand though his hair dramatically. "Perhaps I won't kill him if him if he bows before me and apologize. I will let him off with only a small beating, then I will take care of the tactless maid."

Louise nodded before she turned to Roxas. "You heard him. Apologize... NOW!"

Roxas didn't even spare her a glance as he continued to glare at Guiche. "No."

"YOU IDIOT! He is a noble. You are nothing but a commoner. I will not allow my familiar to be killed for the sake of a simple maid."

Roxas chose to not say anything back as he started to approach Guiche.

"Roxas."

Roxas halted as a different voice addressed him. He turned to see Siesta standing there, her hand clasped together in fright. "Wouldn't it be better to apologize? I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Roxas stood there for a moment, staring at her. Why was she saying that? She was the victim in this conflict. Was she wiling to get hurt just so he wouldn't? Why would she do that for him when they had only known each other for less than a few days? Roxas knew he could take on Guiche, but Siesta could not. So why was she putting herself in danger for him?

"It's not happening. I won't put you in danger. Besides…" He said as he gave her a reassuring smile. "He is weak compared to the people I have fought before."

The entire crowd went silent as they heard Roxas bluntly insult Guiche right to his face. They began to murmur about his disrespect, and even a few glares were thrown his way.

Guiche on the other hand was beyond furious. This commoner dare call him, a noble, weak? His bangs covered his eyes as fury began to well up within him. "You don't seem to understand your position familiar." He said dangerously. "We nobles are the ones blessed by the founder Brimir, while you useless commoners have nothing but the cloths on you back. You dare call me a weakling when there is nothing you can do that can compare?!" He swung down the rose causing a single petal to detach. It gently fluttered downwards until it hit the ground and erupted in a small pillar of light.

A metal creature rose from the ground and stood directly in front of Guiche. Said creature resembled a female soldier with a spear clutched tightly in its metallic fist, it was naturally made out of the metal that Guiche was known for working with, bronze, throwing his arm back with a dramatic pose he reiterated,"I will show you that you are nothing compared to me, that mouthy commoners like you will be punished for their disrespect. I do commend your bravery for not running away, but that will not save you." He gestured to the metal golem whicc was already walking forward. "Behold, my lovely Valkyrie. She will be your opponent."

Roxas looked between the Valkyrie and Guiche a few times. Was he serious? He was not even going to fight him? This ability Guiche portrayed reminded him of all the spares he had with Demyx, how he would summon his water clones to do his fighting while he would run and hide. Now, Guiche was doing the exact same thing. Except at least Demyx when serious could actually cause some damage to him.

"So, not only are you a weakling, but you are also a coward."

There was a hush in the audience as Roxas once again insulted a noble. More murmurs began to roll through the crowd.

Guiche's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"

Roxas shook his head. "You hide behind your Valkyries, too afraid to take me head on. Is that how all nobles fight? Are they all as spineless as you?"

A number of nobles glared at Roxas as he continued to insult them. Guiche ran his hand though his hair and cast it aside dramatically, trying to quell some of his anger. "You seem to not understand how nobles fight. You should be in awe of what I can do." He said before he flicked his rose at Roxas. "Valkyrie, attack!"

The metal creature launched itself at Roxas, a metal fist heading straight for face. Roxas watched at the Valkyrie attacked. It was moving pretty fast, but compared to opponents like Larxene and Xaldin, the useless heap of metal might have just of been standing still.

Right when the Valkyrie extended its fist, Roxas immediately ducked under the blow and spun around. In an instant there was a flash of darkness as the oblivion appeared in his right hand. He used the momentum from his spin and slashed sideways at the Valkyrie.

Immediately, the key blade connected to the Valkyrie's side, causing it to explode into heap of metal parts before it fell to the ground. Roxas slowly lowered his key blade and stood tall, his dark weapon glistening in the sun for all to see.

Another hush fell the crowd as they just whiteness what happened. It was just a brief second exchange that you would have missed if you blinked. Everyone expected to see Roxas laying on the ground, either unconscious, or holding his face in pain, but Roxas stood tall with the strange weapon in his hand, the Valkyrie nothing but a pile of scrap on the ground.

Suddenly, the class exploded with voices and activity.

 _"What is that?"_

 _"Where did he get it?"_

 _"I don't know. It just appeared out of nowhere."_

 _"Did he summon it? Does that mean Louise summoned a mage?"_

 _That's impossible, mages can't be familiars._

 _"What kind of weapon is that?"_

Louise and Siesta were staring at him, their mouths hanging open as they looked between Roxas, the pile of scrap that use to be Guiche's Valkyrie, and then the strange weapon he was holding in his hand. They too were having similar thoughts as the other students.

Guiche was also staring at him, his eyes nearly bulging from there sockets. "Where did you get that weapon, commoner?" he demanded as he pointed to the oblivion.

Roxas ignored him and the rest of the commends concerning his Key blade. Slowly, he grasped the weapon with both hands and crouched down in his signature one-key blade stance. He glared at Guiche with fierce focus and determination in his eyes, not even paying the slightest heed to the attention he was warranting.

Guiche felt his confidence waver slightly as he saw the look in Roxas's eyes. He took one step back in fright before he glanced around. Everyone was looking at him, expecting him to best this familiar and show him his place. Trying to regain his composure, he flipped his hair to the side again, though a little shaky this time.

"Well, it seems that I underestimated you, commoner. But just because you have that ridiculous looking weapon does not mean you stand a chance against me." He proclaimed dramatically before he flicked his rose again. Six more petals fell to the ground before they each spawned more Valkyries all in a row in front of him.

Roxas narrowed his eyes as fixed the enemies with a hard gaze. He quickly counted them and almost wanted to laugh at how much he was being underestimated. When sparing with Demyx, he would take down 50 to 100 water clones before the fight would actually begin, and they were a lot sturdier than these pathetic pieces of metal.

Guiche took a deep breath as he regained his confidence. He waved his rose through the air flamboyantly. "You see now commoner, the difference between you and me? I can summon multiple entities to fight for me, while you stand alone. Our magic means that we are above commoners. How can you possible think you can defe…"

CRASH!

Guiche only had time to look up before he saw a glowing, spinning weapon completely obliterate one of his Valkyries and head straight for him. He gave a girlish squeal before he barely managed to dive out of the way. The weapon suddenly spun back in the direction it came, destroying another Valkyrie in the process.

Roxas lifted his hand and caught the weapon before glared at Guiche. "Shut up," he growled before he reached back and threw the weapon again.

Guiche panicked slightly, but waved his rose, causing the Valkyrie on the far left to side-step the key blade. Roxas however, was already moving. He shot forward at immense speed, gliding barely above the ground as he snatched his key blade out of the air. He leaped into the air and brought his weapon down on the Valkyrie, causing it exploded into a pile of metal. He only glanced to his side at the remaining Valkyries, all lined up in a row.

"I could have done this blindfolded." Roxas murmured as he reached back again. "Strike Raid." Immediately, the key blade glowed before he whirled it at the Valkyries. They didn't have time to react at the Key blade passed through, destroying them instantly.

Roxas caught the key blade as it returned before he turned and looked at Guiche, who was now trying to get to his feet while looking at Roxas with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Suddenly, the crowd erupted in excitement, though Roxas didn't pay any attention. Was he going to wait for Guiche to get up and recompose himself?

Nope.

He shot at Guiche with his incredible speed. Guiche didn't even have time to react. Immediately, Roxas was in front of him before he swung his key blade, smashing him in the ribs. Guiche screamed out in pain as he was thrown through the air like a rag doll before landing in a heap on the ground, his rose flying from his grip.

"AUGH!" Guiche screamed again in agonizing pain as he held his ribs. He looked up at Roxas, who was slowly walking towards him with his weapon as his side. He looked around for his rose before he saw it a few feet away. He reached out and tried to grab it, but a black shoe stomped it into the ground. Guiche looked up to see the tip of the black weapon pointing straight at his face. He slowly looked up to see Roxas's firm glare still fixed on him.

"So now that you can't use magic, what does that make you?"

Seeing that there was no way out of this, Guiche lowered his head in defeat, his hands still clasped around his ribs. "I y-y-yield!" He gasped out.

Roxas stared at him before grounding his teeth. He raised his key blade causing Guiche to look up in horror. "I yield! You have to stop!"

"Why?" Roxas asked as he stood directly in front of the noble. "Why would I stop when you would have killed Siesta? Did you stop when she was beat? What makes this situation any different?"

Guiche stuttered for a moment. "Because I am a noble! She is nothing more than a commoner. I am above her, so you have to stop."

"You can't use your magic now, so what makes you any different than them?"

"I-I-I I have money, and my family has power." Guiche shuddered in fear at the sight of Roxas uncaring face.

"And I am supposed to care?" Roxas said as he took a step forward. Guiche was trying his best to scoot back, but stopped when he felt his back against the academy wall.

"ROXAS STOP!"

Roxas grit his teeth as he looked around at the Louise. She stomped up to him before placing her hands on her hips, trying to look as intimidating as possible. "As your master, I command you to stop now. Haven't you done enough? You humiliated a noble in front of everyone. NOW STOP!"

Roxas growled. "You compare humiliating a noble over a person's life? Why didn't you tell Guiche to stop when he almost killed Siesta? Where were you?"

"She is just a commoner. She has no important role like a noble does."

"That's not good enough!" Roxas barked as he turned back to Guiche, who was desperately trying to crawl away.

Suddenly, Roxas felt two arms firmly wrap around his left arm. "Roxas, please!"

Roxas froze as he turned to see Siesta attached to him, halting him from going after Guiche. Roxas stared at her in confusion. "Why? He almost killed you. Why should I stop?"

"It's fine. You won the dual. He won't do anything anymore. Please don't kill him." She said. She knew that Roxas would be hunted down if he killed a noble, and she really didn't want him to die for her sake.

Roxas continued to stare into her pleading eyes before shook his head and he grit his teeth. "I don't get it. You have every right to be angry at him for almost killing you. Why would you want me to stop?"

"Because…" Siesta said before she looked over at Guiche. He was staring at the both of them, his eyes still somewhat wide with fear. "If I let you continue, then how would I be any different than them?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he absorbed her words. He slowly lowered his key blade and let it vanish in a flash of light, leaving the crowd once again speechless. Roxas hated to admit it, but she had a point. How would he be any different than Guiche if he ended him right there?

He shook his head again before turned back to Guiche. "If you ever threaten anyone I care about again. I will not hold back next time. I will end your existence." He growled out, causing Guiche to nod his head vigorously.

Roxas tugged his arm from Siesta's grip before he stormed away through the crowd as they parted the way for him.

"Where do you think you are going?" Louise snapped.

"I need some time alone." Roxas snapped back.

"You can't do that. I never gave you permission."

Roxas turned and fixed her with a hard glare that nearly made her recoil. "Watch me." He said as he continued to walk away.

He walked passed Tabitha and Kirche, who were both looking at him. Tabitha was staring intently through her glasses; the only thing that gave her surprise away was the look in her eyes. Kirche also had a surprised look on her face, but it soon morphed into a seductive grin as she watched Roxas walk away.

"Well, Zero's familiar sure is interesting…and handsome."

"Strong." Was all Tabitha said as she continued to stare at his retreating form. He was not only strong, but he was also incredibly fast. She had no idea how he managed to move the way he did without magic. But as she looked around, she was not the only one who was wondering that.

Louise was pissed that her familiar once again disobeyed her, but she also felt a measure of pride. She just witnessed her familiar completely destroy Guiche. Granted, Guiche was only a dot mage but that was still quite an achievement for a commoner. What was the weapon that he used? Where did he get it? From the looks of it, that weapon was extremely powerful.

That particular though started to consume her mind. All that strength and power her familiar had displayed was now hers. She had a lot of questions, but he would be back. Where else would he go?

Siesta also watched Roxas retreat. She was glad that he chose to spare Guiche and was also happy that he stood up to her, but there were a lot of questions going through her mind. She was amazed as his strength and that strange weapon he used against Guiche. Even though she had a lot of questions, she was not going to question him until he was willing to share.

"Maid..."

Siesta turned to see Guiche standing on his feet, staring at her.

"I lost the dual and my honor as a noble demands that no harm comes to you." He said as he gingerly held his ribs.

Siesta nodded. "Thank you Lord Guiche."

Guiche continued to stare at her. He did not want to admit it, but Roxas had a point when he was at Roxas's mercy. How was he any different than a simple maid when he was without magic? He shook his head as he dramatically flipped his cloak in the wind and walked toward the academy's infirmary.

* * *

Roxas stormed outside of the academy to let off some steam. He really didn't understand this world. The nobles treated the commoners like they were nothing.

Like how all of the worlds treated the 's.

That didn't set right with Roxas. Guiche actually had the stones to say he should be spared just because he was a noble. That didn't make any sense. Also, Siesta's words really stood out to him. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated it became. So he was just supposed to brush it off and let them get away with it just so he could prove he was different than them?

No.

That was not what she was saying and Roxas knew it. But it was still frustrating. When he worked for the organization, it was simple. Destroy the Heatless. End their existence for the sake of Kingdom hearts. But here, that was not the solution. He could not just go around destroying people. That would just prove what Diz said to him before.

A Nobody does not have the right to exist.

Roxas continued to wander aimlessly around the academy as he let his brain process over the events of the day. Soon, he found himself sitting near a small stream of water, completely lost in his thoughts.

"Why am I still even here?" Roxas asked himself as he picked up a small stone and tossed it into the water. He watched it sink below the surface. "I am no longer linked to Louise, and being anywhere near her drives me insane. But then again, where else am I supposed to go?" It was almost comical how similar this situation was to when he left the organization. He went straight back to Twilight Tower because there was no place where he belonged. That was why it was so easy for… to find him.

Roxas blinked a few times as another memory flashed though his head. He had just left the organization and was sitting on twilight tower when another figure sat beside him. The figures hood was up, so he could not see their face, but the person was too short to be Axel. Roxas frowned as the memory stopped there. "Who was that? And why did I even leave the organization in the first place?" He pondered.

Suddenly, a quiet flapping of wings behind him caught his attention. He looked around to see Tabitha's blue dragon, Sylphid. She landed beside him before she cocked her head curiously.

Roxas stared at the dragon for a while before he took a deep breath before he turned his gaze back to the running water. "Sorry, I am not in a good mood right now."

Sylphid cooed before she moved around him so she shifted closer. She immediately nudged her head against him gently, a worries expression in her eyes.

Roxas turned and stared at her for a few seconds before giving a deep sigh before he scratched the top of her head. "You are worried about me?" he asked, causing the dragon to nod. He gave the Dragon a small smile as he felt the anger and confusion slowly leave him. "Thanks. I have a lot of things on my mind. There are so many things I don't understand."

Sylphid cocked her head curiously, as if to say she didn't understand, so Roxas continued. "I am from really, really far away. I don't understand how the Nobles around here can treat people like they are nothing."

Sylphid rubbed her head against him as if to say she understood.

"It's also hard for me to understand what I can do for the people I care about. How can I protect them without destroying the ones that try to hurt them?" He gave another sigh. "Maybe I haven't figured it out because I don't understand what it is like to have a heart. All these things are so new to me. There are so many things I need to learn."

Sylphid's eyes widened slightly as she heard it. She was completely confused as to what he was talking about. He didn't know what it was like to have a heart? What was that supposed to mean?

Roxas smiled up at the dragon. "Thank you." He said as he scratched her head. "I guess I just needed someone to talk to. Though I find it funny that the only one I felt comfortable telling this to was a dragon."

Sylphid purred again before she licked his face, causing him to laugh. "But there are still few things I need to think about. Could you give me a little time on my own?"

Sylphid seemed to understand as she nudged him one more time before she extended her wings and flew off. Roxas watched her fly back to the academy as he thought about his chat with the dragon. Why did he tell her all that? Truthfully, if felt good to talk about it, even if the dragon couldn't talk back. Maybe she, Siesta, and all the people in the kitchens at the academy were the reason he had not left yet. He did owe Louise for giving him a chance to exist, but truthfully, with each conversation with the girl, he was beginning to care less and less.

"I guess I could stick around a little longer."

* * *

It was later in the evening that Roxas finally returned to the academy. He had his fill of thinking and trying to understand this world. It proved fruitless as the actions of this world proved to be devoid of all logic. As he walked back to Louise's room, he could not help but give a sigh. He really didn't want to deal with her right now, but where else was he supposed to go?"

He pushed the door open and closed it behind him. Immediately, he ducked as he saw a teacup flying towards him. It smashed on the wall behind him, shattering into many pieces. He looked up to see Louise standing there with her hands on her hips. "Where were you!" she demanded.

Roxas gave another sigh, knowing he was too tired and brain dead to be angry right now. "I had a lot to think about."

"I don't care. We have a lot of things to discuss." She said as she sat on the seat, crossing her arms and legs. Roxas collapsed on the ground before looking up at her. "Firstly, I am your master, so…

"Whatever." Roxas cut her off.

Louise turned red. "Don't interrupt you master. I summoned you, and you belong to me. So the power you displayed is also mine."

Roxas looked up at her. What was she getting at? "What do you mean?"

"First of all, that fight with Guiche, how did you do all that? How did you summon that weapon? Are you a noble?" she asked cautiously.

Roxas glanced at her tiringly. "I am not a noble. When I need to fight, I summon my weapon."

Louise gave a small sigh of relief. "So if you're commoner, then how are you able to summon a weapon? Only a mage should be able to do that."

"I have always been able to summon it when I am in danger."

"So it must be very powerful, no?"

"Yes, it is extremely powerful." He said as he looked at her curiously, why was she asking all these questions.

Louise stared at him before she stood up and extended her hand. "Give it to me."

Roxas blinked at her. "Excuse me?"

"Give it to me. You are a commoner, and therefore have no need for such a powerful weapon."

Roxas's mouth dropped again. She was demanding his Keyblade? She had to be insane. Slowly, Roxas stood on his feet and moved toward the door. He was not going to deal with this. He was tired, his brain hurt from thinking so much, and right now he just wanted to go to sleep. Staying here would prove too much for his sanity.

The next instant, he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. His head snapped forward slightly before he turned to Louise. In her hand, she was holding a riding crop. His mouth dropped oven again.

She just whipped him?

Louise stood there with a glare on her face. "You either give me that weapon, or you will be sleeping outside tonight, and no food for the next two days."

Roxas stared at her for the longest time. If he thought he was out of anger then he was sadly mistaken. He wanted nothing more to give this girl a good whack with his Keyblade, and he was about to, but then another idea struck him instead, one that would be much more satisfying.

Plastering a smile on his face he looked at Louise. "Sure, you can have my weapon. Master." He said as the Oblivion flashed into existence. He extended the handle over to her.

Louise blinked a few times. She didn't think it would be that easy, but she tried to hide her excitement as she reached out and took the weapon from Roxas. It was a bit heavier that it looked. "It's about time you learned your place Familiar. Make it a habit to do so."

Roxas continued to smile as he turned toward the door. "Yes, I am so sorry for how I acted. As punishment, I will sleep outside tonight and not eat any food. Please stay here and enjoy your new weapon."

Louise barely managed to hear him, as her excitement began to surface. "Good. Now leave." She said as she caressed his weapon.

Roxas exited the room, leaving Louise with the Keyblade. She admired the expert craftsmanship of the weapon. Soon she was cackling like a madman. "Ohh, I can't wait until I see Kirche again. I am going to wipe that smug look right off her…" she began until Oblivion flashed out of existence. She was left standing by herself in an empty room with no Keyblade and no Familiar.

Her mouth dropped open as what happened began to register in her brain. He faces turned beat red and her hands clenched into fists.

"FAMILIAR!" she screamed as she grabbed her wand and ran out the door.

Roxas gave a small chuckle as the key blade appeared in his hand followed by a loud screech. "And that's my queue." He said as he disappeared in a corridor of darkness. He reappeared at the top of the academy tower. The sun was setting again, allowing him to take in the breathtaking view. He felt strangely satisfied after what he did.

"I truly am Sora's Nobody." He said as he thought about the rather Sora-like move he pulled. "So that is what it felt like after he did that to Jack Sparrow."

Swinging his legs over the edge of the building, he sat there and watched the sun set again. It was moments later that he saw a certain pink-haired dot running frantically around the school grounds looking for him. He laughed again before turning his attention back to the sunset. It was funny that he had to go way up here for some peace and quiet.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, but he eventually heard familiar wings flapping against the air behind him. He turned to see Tabitha and Sylphid landing on the tower.

Tabitha was staring at him again with her intense gaze. She didn't even have a book with her this time. Slowly, she dropped down from Sylphid and approached him, her face not showing any emotion. Roxas watched as she approached until she was standing next to him.

"Key."

Roxas cocked his head. "My weapon?" he asked causing Tabitha to nod once. Roxas raised his hand and the oblivion appeared in his hand. "Yes. It is a key. It's called the Keyblade." He said as he let the weapon vanish.

"What is it?"

Roxas looked at her with a raised eyebrow. This was the first time she had said more than one word to him at a time. "Truthfully, I don't even know much about it. I just know it is an immensely powerful weapon."

"Where did you get it?"

Roxas opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find a way to explain it to her. It was a painful reminder that the only reason he had a key blade was because he was Sora's Nobody. "A Keyblade chooses its wielder."

Tabitha stared at him again. It was obvious she was looking for an answer with a bit more depth, but Roxas was not going to go further. Roxas turned back to the sunset, but he could still feel her eyes on him.

"Who are you?"

Roxas gave a small sigh. "Sometimes I even wonder that myself, but I am no one really important. Just a Nobody trying to find his place in the world."

Tabitha didn't show it, but she felt a bit annoyed at how Roxas managed to answer all of her questions with as little information as possible. But truthfully, she was also like that, so she couldn't blame him that much.

Roxas felt Sylphid lay down behind them. He watched Tabitha as she sat on the edge of the tower beside him and leans against her Familiar while watching the sun set. Roxas looked behind him at the blue dragon before he slowly leaned against her as well. It was nice to feel the warm dragon against his back. He looked back at Tabitha again, who was staring at the golden horizon. She seemed a bit different than the other nobles so far.

"Tabitha, are all nobles like Guiche? Do all of them view a person's existence with such little value?"

Tabitha glanced over at him for a brief moment before she shook her head once. "Not all of them."

Roxas turned back to the sunset, a little relief welling inside him. At least there were some nobles that were ok, hopefully.

* * *

It was later when night fell over the academy. Tabitha had hopped back onto Sylphid and retreated back to her room while Roxas was wondering the academy. He felt his stomach grumble, but ignored it. He was looking for a place to sleep because there was no way that he was going back to Louise's room after the stunt he pulled. It was at least a warm night out.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure moving toward him in the distance. Luckily, it was not Louise because Roxas knew she would never wear a maid outfit.

"Roxas." Siesta greeted as she approached.

"Hey Siesta. How are you feeling?"

"I feel great. It was only a little hit. I've been through worse." She said with a smile.

"Good. I'm glad you're ok." Roxas said as he felt his stomach growl for the second time that day.

"You're hungry. Please come with me!" she said as she gently tugged his sleeve.

Again, Roxas found himself sitting at a table with a bowl of delicious stew sitting in front of him. The only difference this time was because Siesta was there with him, along with the rest of the kitchen staff.

"Please eat your fill, our Key."

Roxas looked up at him. "Our Key?"

The head chef, Marteau roughly slapped him on the back. "Of course. Siesta told up you beat that noble in no time flat with a key-like weapon that you summoned. You're not a noble are you?"

Roxas shook his head. "Not a noble, just a ."

Marteau grinned. "You're not a to us. You're a person who destroyed a noble and stood up for the commoners. There are not many people left in the world that are like you. If you are ever hungry, please come to the kitchen. We will be more than happy to feed you."

Roxas gave a small smile at his words.

Not a Nobody. He wished that were true.

"I may have to take you up on that. I think Louise said no food for a few more days."

Marteau sighed. "It's sad that she treats you like that. But in the end, commoners are powerless against nobles." He said before he went back to work.

Roxas stopped eating for a moment as he looked around at the kitchen staff. Most of them were eating alongside him with happy smiles plastered on their faces. He didn't understand how these people could be so cheerful when they were being suppressed by the nobles. He glanced at Siesta again, who gave him a happy smile as she ate beside him. He didn't understand it, but he did admire their perseverance.

Soon Roxas was done eating and was walking back towards the academy with Siesta by his side. She stopped him before he entered the building. "I never got to thank you for saving me Roxas." She said as a small blush dusted her cheeks.

Roxas looked at her curiously before giving her a small smile. "Why wouldn't I. You needed help, so I helped you." Almost quoting what she said earlier that day.

Siesta gave a small laugh. "Not many people would do that Roxas, especially commoners." She said as she approached. Roxas felt her invade his space, but for some reason he didn't mind that much. He felt a pair of soft lips against his cheek.

Roxas felt his heart thump against his chest. A new and strange emotion began to well up within him and his face began to heat up slightly. Why was his body reacting like this?

Before he could ask, Siesta pulled away and gave a small bow. "Goodnight Roxas." She said before she darted away into the night.

Roxas watched her leave before he slowly brought his hand to his cheek. He had no idea what this feeling was, but it was…nice. It was a similar to the feeling he had when he was hanging out with his friends, but it was also different.

"Hmmm." Roxas hummed curiously as he felt his heart calm down. "We don't have hearts, so aren't Nobody's supposed to not feel?" He knew he was different than most Nobody's, but to what extent?

Roxas pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind before he began to wander around the academy again. It was a nice night outside, so sleeping on the grass wouldn't be too bad.

He was about to reach the wall of the academy before a shadow flew over him. Roxas looked up to look up to see Sylphid again, though this time, Tabitha was not with her. She descended to the ground before landing in front of him with a soft thump. Roxas smiled again as he reached up and scratched her head, causing her to warble in contentment.

"Why aren't you with Tabitha?" Roxas asked.

Sylphid cooed once before she circled around and lay down before giving a comfortable huff.

Roxas blinked before he shrugged and sat down to lean against his friend. Whether Sylphid was too big for Tabitha's room, or she just enjoyed Roxas's company, he would never know. He was just grateful he was going to be warm the night.

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. Chapter three. I hope you all had a grand 4th of July. Thanks again for the time you put into reading. I know what many of you may be thinking. Why didn't Roxas use Dual-wielding? I am going to be honest. It was because he didn't have to. I know that is Roxas's signature, but like I said, it would kill any excitement for future chapters if I gave away all of his abilities on a fight that was not even worth it. So I am sorry if some of you are disappointed, but I promise, Roxas will dual wield, use magic, and special abilities against stronger opponents.**

 **For those of you who think I am bashing on Louise, PLEASE be patient. I do not mean to sound like I am bashing her. Her personality will change a bit as the story progresses. I mean, she cannot just change instantly because Roxas won a fight.**

 **Anyway, how did I do? Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know. Please leave a review with your thoughts.**

 **Beta's Notes: Not much to change here beyond grammar and structural adjustments.**


	4. Chapter 4: Love

**Author's note: Hey everyone. Thank you so much for your continuing support on this story. I have been getting a lot of questions asking about future events in the story and about what Roxas's abilities are. Do you guys want me to give you spoilers about what is going to happen in the future? It's up to you. Leave a review and let me know. If you truly want me to answer your questions, I will give some insights. But truthfully, I myself don't really like spoilers and I can imagine that a many of you don't like them as well, which is why I haven't answered a lot of questions yet.**

 **Anyhow, I am sorry if I take a little bit to get out each chapter. The reason is because it takes a while to write a decent size chapter for you all. I try to make each one at least five to seven thousand words. Not to mention that I am a college student who is constantly swamped with homework. Luckily, writing helps me relieve stress and expands my imagination, so I am going to keep at it.**

 **For those of you who review, thank you so much. It means a lot to me. Whether it is just a few lines that say you enjoy the chapter, or just to call me out on the spelling mistakes I make, I appreciate them. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: Spelling is my Achilles Heel. I am so sorry if you find some.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 4

The next few days were quite eventful for Roxas. Louise had finally calmed down a bit after the stunt he pulled. He couldn't even count the number of projectiles he had to dodge when he went up to her room the next morning. But she finally gave up when he refused to hand over the Oblivion. She had promised to starve him until he gave it to her, but seeing as he could go to the kitchen anytime he wanted to, the threat was absolutely worthless.

He was permitted to attend a few classes with the rest of the students, but he quickly found himself board with the lectures. The type of magic he could do was very different than what was taught in the academy, so learning about it was rather useless.

However, there was one thing that he did notice each time he went to class with Louise. The other students would always relentlessly pick on her, constantly calling her Louise the Zero. He had no idea why they were mocking her. Wasn't she just like them? Wasn't she a noble? No matter what class they were in, there were always a few students that would make fun of her.

If it bothered her, she never expressed it on her face. Every mock that was thrown her way, she brushed it off without a second thought and continued to pay attention to the lessons. Roxas on the other hand would look around the classroom in confusion before he looked at her. Even he was not so oblivious to know that they were insulting her. Why didn't she react to any of it?

It was later that day when Roxas and Louise were walking down a hallway. The lesson was a bit more interesting this time. It turs out that the mages of this world had a special affinity for a certain element. The basic elements that could be used were Fire, Earth, Wind, and water. However, there was one specific element that caught Roxas's attention.

Void.

It was not mentioned that much, but from what he understood from the lesson, the Void was used by a man named Brimir. To these people, he was almost like their God. Roxas himself could use different magic spells, but he had never heard of Void before. What kind of element was that supposed to be?

Roxas stored that question in the back of his mind as he looked at the pink-haired girl who was walking beside him. She was oddly quiet after the lesson, and Roxas couldn't blame her. She had been the punch-line of all the jokes for nearly the entire class. Even though the teacher tried to stop the harassment, it just kept on continuing to the point that even Roxas was getting annoyed with it. It was just Zero this, and Zero that. Why where they so cruel to her?

He glanced at her again, this time looking at her face. He blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing this right. Her face held an emotion that looked almost alien on her. Her eyes looked towards the ground, and her head was slightly declined. Just barely, her brows were scrunched up and her lips were pursed.

If you glanced at her, you would have missed the look because it was so minimal, but Roxas saw it. To see that look on her usually prideful face was almost wrong. It was an expression he had seen quite a few times in his life.

Sadness.

"Louise." He started.

Louise seemed to jerk for a second before her expression steeled over. Her usual look covered her face before she turned to him. "What is it?"

Roxas stared at her for the longest time. There was no sign of the emotion left, jus the usual glare. It was obvious that she was unhappy about how the lesson went, so why was she hiding it?

"What is it?" Louise said again, this time a little more frustrated.

"…Why do they call you that?"

For a brief instant, that same look came over her face before she quickly covered it up with a glare. She turned away from him and walked forward a few paced. "That is none of your business." She growled as she continued to storm away.

"I will be happy to oblige you." Said a voice.

Roxas and Louise turned to see Kirche and Tabitha walking up to them. Kirche fixed Roxas with a seductive grin while Tabitha had her face buried in a book.

"Go away Zerbst." Louise growled out before she turned away again.

"Don't be like that Zero. Doesn't your powerful familiar deserve to know about his failure of a master?"

Louise turned around and fixed Kirche with the most deadly glare she could muster. "Don't you dare!"

Kirche grinned again before she turned to Roxas. "You see handsome, we call Louise a Zero because that is exactly what she is. Ever since she came here, she has never managed to cast one spell correctly. Not a single one. That is why she is Louise the Zero."

Louise felt her hands clench into fists and her hair overshadowed her eyes to hide her emotions. Why was everything in her life like this? She had no elemental affinity, she could not cast a single spell successfully, and now her familiar was going to think of her the same way as the other students, like she wasn't good at magic, like she was a zero.

Like she was a nothing.

"And I am supposed to care?"

Louise blinked a few times before her eyes widened. She looked up to see Roxas standing there in front of an equally shocked Kirche. Even Tabitha lowered her book slightly to see where this was going.

"W-What do you mean? Of course you are supposed to care. She can't cast any magic whatsoever. For a noble, that is the pinnacle of our pride, and as her familiar you should be disappointed that she is a complete failure."

Roxas shook his head. "I don't care about magic. Nor do I care about money, or power. The only things that are important to me are the people I care about and existence itself. So why would it matter to me if she can or can't cast magic. Just being my own person and having my friends around me is enough."

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise stared at him for the longest time. His words were so contradictory to what they believed. A familiar took great pride in the power of their master, but Roxas didn't care about any of that. He didn't care if someone could cast magic or not.

Kirche was the first to break out of her befuddlement. She gave a soft laugh before shaking her head. "I don't understand how you can live with such little pride."

"And I can't understand how you can live with so much of it." Roxas said before he turned and began to walk away. "Lest go Louise."

Usually, Louise would have yelled at him for giving her an order, but her mind was so wrapped around his words that she just gave Kirche one last glare before she turned and left as well.

There was an awkward silence between Roxas and Louise as they walked back to their room. Louise was staring at his back as he walked in front of her, the words playing through her mind. How could he look so simply on life and be so content. He didn't seek for power, pride, or money, yet he was happy with just living and having his friends with him. That explained why he fought so hard to protect the maid because that was something he cared about, but how could someone be content with so little?

* * *

It was the next morning that Roxas and Louise got into another argument about his Keyblade. She once again demanded the powerful weapon, but Roxas refused to hand it over.

"You said yesterday that you were content with just existing, so there is no need for you to have the weapon." She said as she crossed her arms.

"You don't get it, do you? This weapon I have will not work for just anyone. It will only work for me."

"But I summoned you, so therefore it should work for me also. You must be doing something that makes me unable to use it. What use do you have for it anyway?"

"To protect the people I care about." Roxas said immediately.

Louise grits her teeth before she gave a defeated sigh. This conversation was going nowhere and she could not pull out her riding crop because Roxas had broken it when she tried to use it on him again. She glanced outside the window to see the sun was in the middle of the sky. It was the day of void today, so there were no classes.

Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. She turned to see Roxas rolling his shoulder, ready to walk out the door to do god knows what.

"Hold it!" Louise said as she stood up.

"What now."

"Since today is the day of void, we have no classes. I need a few things in the nearest town Tristania and you are to accompany me."

Roxas stared at her for a few seconds before he reluctantly agreed. He had to admit he was curious what was outside the academy walls.

It was an unpleasant horse ride later that Roxas found himself in the middle of a large city. It was rural compared to the World that never was, but it was a decent size nonetheless. The streets were busy with people rushing into building, or displaying their merchandise on stands for others to buy.

Louise and Roxas walked down the crowded street for a little while until Louse turned to him.

"I am going to get the things I need. I permit you to walk around and familiarize yourself with the town. We will be coming back and I may need you to know your way around. Meet back here in an hour." She said.

Roxas rolled his eyes as he nodded. Louise huffed before she departed into the crowd. They all split the way for her as she walked by; obviously recognizing by her attire that she was a noble. Some even had a slight fear in their eyes.

Roxas waited until she was gone before walking in the opposite direction. The town very busy so there was always something interesting going on. Most of the merchants sold various food, while others sold potions and clothing. It even surprised him when he heard someone call out sales on Elixirs. That was something that caught his interest. He, along with a number of people went to check it out. When he got there however, the Elixirs that were displayed were vastly different than the ones he had. While the elixirs he had were almost like liquid gold in color, the ones that were on display were a nasty brown.

Roxas gave a small huff of disappointment. He should have known that no one could synthesize potions like the Moogles. He was about to turn and continue exploring the town when a small cry caught his attention.

"You stupid brat! Do you know how much this robe is worth? Or that Elixir you just wasted?" Snarled an angry voice.

"I-I'm sorry Sir." A small voice squeaked.

"Please forgive her Count Mott. She is just a girl. She didn't mean to. It won't happen again."

"Your right, it won't."

Roxas turned his gaze toward the commotion before he heard a sickening squelch. Through the crowd, he saw an older man in elegant clothing pointing a staff at a young girl, who couldn't be older than ten years old. Roxas's eyes widened when he saw a few jagged pieces of ice embedded in the girl's stomach. Blood started to leak from the wound before pooling on the ground.

A woman was cradling the girl while crying hysterically.

"Shut up woman or you will be next." he snarled out. The woman quieted down, nearly chocking on her own sobs as tears leaked down her face. "You see what happens when you assault a noble? Let this be a lesson to you."

The woman looked up in disbelief, anger welling up in her eyes. "Assault! She bumped into you on accident!" She screamed at him.

"You are trying my patience woman. Once more word and you will have the same fate as the girl." He said. The woman glared up at the Count before she turned her attention back to the bleeding girl. Count Mott gave a twisted smile before he walked past the crowd.

Just as Count Mott vanished from sight, the woman started to cry again over the whimpering girl. "Ellie!" she shouted before she looked around at the surrounding people. "Someone please help. She's going to die."

Roxas looked around at the people. Most of them were turning away while holding their potions a bit closer to them. A few walked away from the scene. Was no one going to help them? Why not? This scene was so sad it was disgusting. It pained his heart to even witness it, so how could anyone just stand by and watch. Quickly, Roxas walked forward and approached the two.

The woman saw him walking toward them, a look of urgency and panic in her eyes. "Please help us. We need to get to a doctor. Please, I'll do anything!" She sobbed out, more tears running down her face.

Roxas looked down at the bleeding girl. The woman had her hands over the wounds in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. The girl was gasping out in pain while whimpering; the color in her face was slowly fading. The ice spikes had melted, leaving two gaping wounds in the girl's abdomen.

Roxas knelt down next to them. "Lay her on the ground and remove your hands."

"What are you talking about? We need to get a doctor."

"Please, just trust me." Roxas said, looking her straight in the eye with clear conviction.

The mother stared at him, seeing the look in his eyes before slowly nodding. She gingerly placed her daughter on the ground and removed her blood stained hands from the wounds. Roxas extended his hands over the damaged area and summoning the magic within him, calling forth his most useful spell.

"Curaga."

Immediately, a green light encompassed the dyeing girl. All in the current vicinity watched in amazement as the wounds began to slowly heal over. Roxas grunted as he pushed more magic into the spell to increase the effects. The severity of the wound required quite a bit of magic.

Soon, the girl's whimpers faded as she took more prolonged and soothing breaths of air. The color in her face began to return as her features became more relaxed. The woman could only watch in wonder as the girl was healing under the hue of the green light. She glanced up at Roxas, whose face showed signs of strain and concentration.

Soon, the gaping holes were replaced by sensitive skin. Roxas released the spell before panting a bit, exhausted at the amount of magic he just used. Usually, that spell was for quick recovery when he was in the midst of battle, but with fatal wounds like those, he had to use a massive amount of magic.

Soon, the girl's eyes fluttered open. She sat up slowly, wincing because of the tender skin on her stomach. She looked up at the woman. "Mom?"

Frantically, the woman looked down at her daughter. "Ellie!" the mother exclaimed as she gingerly wrapped her arms around the girl and held her close.

"Mom!" Ellie cried as she wrapped her little arm around the woman's neck. "That hurt so much. I was so scared that I was going to die." She sobbed out.

"It's ok Ellie. Shhh. It's fine now."

Roxas curiously watched the interaction between the two. For some reason, a new and warm feeling spread through his body. Was it a result of helping these two? What he was witnessing, seeing how much this mother cared for her child, it was…beautiful in a way.

No

This was beyond just caring for someone.

Roxas thought back on the interaction between Bell and the Beast at their castle. That was the first time that he witnessed what something called Love was.

Love.

Was he witnessing love between two people again?

Suddenly, the mother and child turned to Roxas, knocking him from his thoughts. The mother bowed her head low. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed.

Roxas blinked a few times before giving them a small smile. "Don't worry about it. Helping people is half of who I am." Roxas said. "What happened anyway?"

The mother bit her lower lip. "We knew there was a sale today, so we saved up for an elixir in case we had an emergency. But they were still a bit too expensive. I told Ellie we could eat at her favorite place and she got too excited. She ran into Count Mott and he spilled his elixir on his coat as a result."

Roxas felt his eyes widen. "Just because she accidently bumped into him, he tried to kill her?"

The mother nodded. "Nobles are not supposed to attack commoners without being assaulted first, but they can sometimes bend the truth in order to get away with it. He had done worse for less. There are still a number of girls from this town that he had taken to be his mistresses."

"A mistress?"

The mother nodded. "It's a very terrible fate, but we can't do anything about it because Count Mott is the royal messenger to the palace." She said sadly.

"I see." Roxas said, his anger rising again. He couldn't believe these nobles. How could they do this to people?

 _What in the world was that?_

 _I don't know! That healing spell was powerful enough to save that girls life._

 _He didn't have a wand_

 _Is he an elf?_

 _No, his ears aren't pointed._

Roxas looked around and noticed that a lot of eyes were on them. It was really making him uncomfortable. He decided it was his time to leave. "I have to go. Take care of yourselves." Roxas said as he was about to stand from his kneeling position.

"Waite!"

Roxas turned to see the little girl gingerly stand and push away from her mother's arms. She shyly approached Roxas before extending her arms and wrapping them around his neck tightly.

Roxas sat there like a statue. He was not use to this kind of physical contact. Back in twilight town, Hayner would sometimes catch him in a headlock for a noogie, but this was much gentler.

A Hug.

He had not experienced many hugs in his life, but this was definitely one. He felt the girls grip on his neck lessen and thought she was about to peel herself off him, but then he felt a small peck on his cheek, causing him to look at the beaming girl. "Thanks for saving me, Mr." She said before she turned back to her mother. "Mom! I kissed his cheek!" she exclaimed with an embarrassed blush.

Roxas blinked a few times before he touched the place where she kissed him.

A Kiss.

Now that was something Roxas was very unfamiliar with. Sure Louise had done that to him against this will, and Siesta had given him a kiss as a token of gratitude, but what did it really mean? Was it just a way to say thanks? Or did it mean something more?

Again, Roxas saved that thought for a later time. He gave the mother and daughter one more small smile before he stood and left through the crowd. People parted the way as he walked, whispers flying from every direction. Their comments didn't bother him because he felt really happy for some reason. He could not keep the smile off his face.

Little did he know, there was a red-head and her petite friend that saw the whole thing from the alleyway.

"Tabitha, tell me you saw that!" Kirche whispered to her friend.

Tabitha nodded only once to give the indication that she heard, but she was too focused on what just happened. Louise's familiar had just used a healing spell that would have given a square class water Mage a run for their money. And he did it without a wand.

"Who are you?" Tabitha whispered.

* * *

It was an hour later that Roxas met Louise at the designated spot. She had a few bags and a vile grin on her face as she beckoned him to follow. It was another quick ride before they were back at the academy.

Soon they were back in her room, but Roxas wasn't paying attention. His mind was too focused on what happened that day. He actually got to see something incredible between a parent and child firsthand. He could not help but think.

Was that what it would have been like if he had parents?

Had he just witnessed love between a parent and child?

A Sudden crack jolted Roxas from his thoughts. He looked at Louise to notice she was holding a particularly nasty whip in her hands. It wasn't like the riding crop because it was long, and had jagged spikes running along the side. Just the look of it made Roxas want to cringe.

"Now since you decided to go against my orders and you also broke my whip, I was forced to get something that will be more effective."

There was silence between them for a few moments as Roxas stared at the nasty whip before looking at Louise. "So the only reason that you wanted to go to town was so you could get a new whip?"

Louise gave a smile as she nodded before she turned her attention to the second bag. "Not only that, but I also bought a few extra riding crops, just to give you more motivation to obey me." She said as she turned her attention back to Roxas. There was only one problem though.

He was long gone, the only indication that he was ever there was the open door.

Louise felt her mouth drop opened again. How did he do that? He slipped out the door in less than a second. "GET BACK HERE FAMILIAR." Louise screamed as she darted after him.

Roxas shook his head as he heard Louise screech from her bedroom. Usually, he would have argued with her a lot more, but right now, he had too much on his mind to be angry. It was so much easier to leave. He extended his hand, ready to open a corridor or darkness, but a voice stopped him.

"Roxas, this way!"

Roxas looked to his side to see a familiar face poking her head out of a doorway. It was Kirche. Immediately, he lowered his hand. He was not about to open a corridor of darkness in front of her. This was bad. He did not get enough of a head start to escape Louise without the Corridor. So the choice was between Kirche and Louise.

It didn't take a genius to make the best choice. He blindly rushed into Kirche's room and she closed the door behind them. Both Roxas and Kirche leaned against the door and listened as Louise rushed down the hallway, cracking her whip in anger as she shouted his name.

Roxas gave a frustrated sigh before he sat on the grown. If there was one thing he was learning the quickest, it was patience. He didn't even know he had this much patience in him for that girl. "There is no way I am getting whipped."

Kirche sat down beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Why do you let her do that to you? With your strength, you could easily stop her."

"I have never let her whip me." He said as he looked at her curiously before he saw what she was wearing…or rather, what she was not wearing. Her clothing was so skimpy, he was curious if it even counted as clothing. For some reason, just looking was making his heart thump in his chest. His face grew a little warmer. As he continued to glance at her, he noticed that his heart was beating even faster. What was going on?

He looked away and took a deep breath to try and calm himself down before he attempted to nudge her head off of his shoulder, but she refused to move. Why was his body reacting like this? It was very similar to the time when Siesta kissed his cheek, but also a little different at the same time.

"You know, today was the day of void. I saw you left with Louise to the town." Kirche started, distracting him from his thoughts.

Roxas glanced at her again before diverting his eyes away from her body when he felt his heart act up again. "Ok…"

Kirche moved away from him before looking his face. "Tabitha and I followed you. We used her dragon to get to town." She said before fixing him with a strong gaze. "We saw what you did to that little girl."

Roxas looked over at her. Well, so much for keeping most of his abilities a secret. "So what? I wanted to help her, so I did."

"Roxas, she was on the brink of death. Healing her from those wounds should have taken much longer with very expensive remedies. Yet you managed to do it instantly."

"And?"

Kirche sighed. "You don't understand, do you? Not only did you use magic, but it was so powerful that you healed someone almost instantly. You're supposed to be a commoner, and yet you know incredibly powerful spells. And not only that, you can cast them without a wand. How?" She said as she took a glance at his ears to make sure they weren't pointed. "You're not an elf."

"I learned how to use magic from someone."

Kirche gave a frustrated sigh at the lack of answers. "So you can use magic. That means you are a noble then, right? If that's true, then why are you still Louise's familiar. A noble cannot be a familiar."

"I'm not a noble."

"But you can use magic."

"So? Just because I can use magic doesn't mean I am a noble."

Kirche frowned. "Then what are you? Who are you?"

"Just a nobody." Roxas replied solemnly.

Kirche stared at him for a long time before she shook her head. It didn't look like she was going to get any answers out of him.

"Alright then, Mystery man." She said seductively as she rested her head on his shoulder again before draping one of her arms over his chest. Roxas felt a small chill travel down his spine as her finger gently traced over his chest.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing~ you know, it was really sweet of you to heal that little girl."

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion as she looked at her. "And why do you care? She was a commoner."

Kirche winced slightly. "A lot of nobles are brought up to think they are above commoners, but many of them are not so heartless to think it is ok to kill an innocent girl."

"Buts it's ok to kill someone like Siesta?" He growled out.

"Guiche may have reacted a bit harsh. Any noble who has their pride injured will lash out. Why did you fight so hard to protect her?"

"Because she is my friend and I will never lose another friend ever again."

Kirche blinked as a small fraction of Roxas's past was reviled. "You lost someone?"

"I-I" Roxas started as the memory of that mysterious girl flashed through his mind again. He didn't know why, but his heart aced every time he thought about it. "I think I did." He said sadly.

"Hmmm." Kirche hummed as she saw the look on his face. "Well, why don't you let me make the pain go away?"

Roxas looked up at her, seeing the seductive look in her eye. "How?"

"With my love. Even since I saw you defeat Guiche, and when you selflessly healed that girl, I have fallen in love with you Roxas."

Love.

An emotion that he hadn't even come close to understanding. No one in the organization was willing, or was even able to explain it to him when he asked. Xaldin said that it was a worthless emotion that only resulted in weakness. But the interaction between the Beast and Bell displayed anything but weakness. So what was Love exactly?

"Kirche." Roxas started.

Kirche, who thought she had Roxas in the palm of her hand, looked up into his confused eyes. "Yes?"

"What is Love?"

Kirche blinked. Then blinked again, almost unsure if she heard him right. "What?"

"What is Love?"

Kirche blinked again. She had been expecting him to say a lot of things, but this was not one of them. How in the world could he not understand what love was? That was almost a basic human instinct, something that you learn when you are brought up.

"You don't know what love is?"

Roxas shook his head. "Love…Is something that I have yet to understand."

Again, Kirche was without words, and that was saying something. "How?"

"Never had the chance to learn…I guess."

"But, what about your parents? Didn't they ever teach you about Love?"

Roxas wanted to laugh bitterly. "I never had parents." Technically, he was only a couple years old. Parents were what somebody's had, not nobody's.

"You're an orphan? Then who taught you magic? Didn't they ever teach you about love?"

Again, Roxas wanted to laugh. He was taught magic by multiple people in the organization, who were just at emotionless as he was. "No. I was not. So what is it?"

Kirche stared at him for the longest time, trying to understand why this conversation was happening. She expected something so simple. She would seduce Roxas and they would have a steamy, passionate night together. But it quickly turned into something incredibly different. She was staring at a person who literally didn't know what love was. He didn't have parents, and from what it sounded like, he never had anyone to shown him what love was when he was growing up. What kind of life had he lived before he was summoned?

Roxas was staring at her expectantly as she stared right back at him. She wasn't answering her question. Did that mean she didn't know either? Roxas gave a small sigh as he stood from his position, Kirche's eyes following him.

"Thanks for hiding me." He said as he grasped the doorknob and pulled it open. Kirche could only watch as he walked out her door, being too puzzled to stop him as the conversation she had with the mysterious boy played through her mind.

* * *

Roxas found himself on the top of the academy tower again watching the sunset over the horizon. A lot had happened today, and his mind was filled with questions. There were still so many things that he didn't understand. So many questions that were left unanswered. He really wished that Axel was here now. Even if he was a nobody, Axel always seemed to know what to say when Roxas was confused like this.

But Axel was gone, just like she was…

Roxas frowned as another memory played though his mind. It was the same one that had been plaguing his dreams for the past few days. Every day, that dream was becoming more and more vivid, even to the point where he almost had tears in his eyes when he woke up.

"Who are you?" Roxas asked out loud as the girls face flashed through his mind. "And why do I feel so sad every time I see you? Why do I even feel at all? Aren't I supposed to not have a heart?"

He was knocked from his thoughts when he felt a familiar wind slap against his back. He turned to see Tabitha and Sylphid land on the tower behind him. Tabitha didn't have her face buried in a book today, which was a rare occurrence. She was staring at him though with her penetrative gaze as she hopped off her dragon. Slowly, she approached Roxas while continuing to stare at him.

"So, you and Kirche followed me today?"

Tabitha gave a small nod before sitting next to him on the ledge. She was staring at him, opening and closing her mouth a few times before she finally spoke.

"Your healing spell…" she asked quietly. "How strong is it?"

Roxas was once again surprise that he got that many words out of her in one sentence. He was slightly more surprised that she didn't ask any questions that were similar to Kirche's. "It depends on how much magic I use. I don't really have something to compare it too, but it saved me many times when I was on the brink of death." He replied, thinking back to the countless Heartless and Nobody's that he fought in the past. Without that healing spell, he would have died many times already.

Tabitha bit her lip slightly before she opened her mouth. Quickly she shut it again before pulling out a book and stuffing it in her face. Roxas looked at her curiously before he turned back to the sunset. He thought that Tabitha's actions where extremely strange. For some reason, she looked…sad, almost desperate. But he didn't let that worry him. If she wanted to ask him something, she would, Right?

* * *

It was a few days later and Roxas had continued to avoid Louise and her whip. It was so much easier than constantly arguing with her and Sylphid was nice enough to be his sleeping buddy for a few days.

There were many things that Louise would order him to do, but Roxas would refuse most of them. However, there was only one chore that he would help her with because it had a mutual benefit.

Laundry.

Why? It was because it would give him time wash his own cloths and talk with Siesta. Siesta and Roxas had made it a usual pattern every day to meet at the same spot to do laundry so they could have the chance to just chat about the day and enjoy each other's company. Siesta was her usual happy and cheerful self, which was something that brightened Roxas's day. Even if he had to do some laundry, it was nice to talk with the girl.

He also saw Tabitha every day as the sun went down. They would meet on the academy tower and usually Tabitha would spare a few words before she went back to her book as Roxas watched the sunset. It was a really peaceful time for both of them. It allowed Roxas to unwind and prepare for another day of craziness at this academy. Even though it was a rocky start, he was really enjoying the life that Louise had given him. Even Louise was getting better with her attitude. She still said and did a lot of things that really bothered him, but it was becoming easier to tolerate her.

Kirche on the other hand was acting really strange towards him. The first day after their conversation, she was staring at him with a curious gaze. Every time he would glance back at her, she would grin at him and wink.

Overall, he was really starting to enjoy his time at the academy.

* * *

"Hey Siesta."

"Roxas."

Siesta and Roxas had met at their usual place to do laundry and chat. Usually Roxas just listened as she rattled off about certain topics, but occasionally she would ask a question. Truthfully, he felt bad that he had not told her much about himself, but she seemed to not mind that much.

"Thanks as always Siesta." Roxas said with a smile as he scooped up the rest of the laundry.

"It's not a problem. It's always nice talking with you." She replied before she gave him a sad smile. "Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

Siesta's lower lip trembled slightly before she suddenly bowed to him, causing him to raise his eyebrows. "Thank you so much."

Roxas blinked a few times. "For what?"

"Just everything you have done for me. Saving my life, meeting here every day and listening to me rattle on about stuff, and just being my friend. Seeing the strength you have has given me the strength to continue moving forward." She said a bright smile. Though this time, Roxas could tell that something was off about it.

"Siesta. Is something wrong?"

Siesta's eyes widened before she frantically shook her head. "No."

Again Roxas could tell that something was wrong, but didn't push. If something was wrong, she you just tell him, Right?

"Okay. If you need something, just let know. Were friend, Right?"

Siesta bit her lip. "You are so kind Roxas. But no, nothing is wrong. Goodbye." She said as she quickly turned and walked away.

Roxas frowned as he watched her retreating form. Something about this situation was very wrong. Even he could tell. Tomorrow, he would ask again. But if something was wrong, why would she hide it from him?

Slowly, he walked back up to Louis's room to drop the laundry off.

It was the next morning that Roxas found himself in the kitchen again, eating breakfast. It was delicious as usual. Curiously he looked around for Siesta.

"Hey Marteau, Where's Siesta?"

Marteau suddenly stopped working; a sorrowful look crossed his face. "You didn't hear? She was hired somewhere else."

Roxas dropped his spoon. "She is gone."

Marteau grunted. "Not by choice. One of the nobles saw her and...Took fancy, if you know what I mean. Since he is in direct relation to the royal palace, we can't do a thing about it, even if she was hired to be a mistress." He said before he gave a long sigh. "In the end, commoners are powerless against nobles."

Roxas's eyes widened. That job description sounded extremely familiar. He only prayed he was wrong. "What is the noble's name?"

"Count Mott." Merteau replied as he went back to work.

There were many times he had been angry ever since he was summoned to this world, But all of them paled in compared to the pure rage he felt burning inside him as soon as those words left Marteau's mouth. He was shaking when he remembered the bleeding girl on the road, her mother crying over her body as the Count sneered over them. Siesta would be forced to work for that man? Being a mistress was a terrible fate according to Ellie's mother, and he was not going to let that happen.

Immediately, without even finishing his food, Roxas bolted out of the kitchen. He knew something was wrong with Siesta last night. Why didn't she tell him? He could have helped her.

He didn't even know how to find Count Mott, but he knew a few people who should. He immediately raced to Kirche's room before knocking. When no answer came, he could only assume it was because she was in class, but he didn't have the patience to wait for her. He raced down the hall toward the classroom. He was running so fast that he didn't see the blond hared boy until it was too late. He violently collided with the boy and they were both sent to the ground. Roxas looked over and saw it was Guiche.

Guiche on the other hand looked at Roxas with slight fear in his eyes, but also a little respect as well. The past few days had been really humbling for the boy as he thought about his actions. Not to mention he was desperately trying to win Montmorency over again. He quickly got to his feet. "What's the rush Roxas? It's dangerous to run through the halls like that." He said dramatically, not even angry that he was knocked over.

Roxas looked at Guiche for a second. He was still a little pissed off at the boy for almost hurting Siesta, but he had other things to worry about. And besides, Guiche hadn't done anything since.

Wait.

Guiche was a noble, so it couldn't hurt to ask. "Guiche, do you know who Count Mott is?"

In a second, the playful flamboyancy in his eyes was replaced by anger and irritation. "Yes I know who Count Mott is. He and my family have never really been on good terms. Why?"

Roxas clenched his fists. "He took Siesta to be his mistress." He said as he leveled the boy with a glare. "You know what happens to people who mess with my friends."

Guiche raised his hand in a peaceful gesture, but he had a smirk on his face again. "Yes I am well aware. If you plan to do the same thing to Count Mott, then I have no problems pointing you in the right direction. Though I have to warn you, Count Mott is a triangle class mage, and there might be political issues if you attack him."

"I don't care. Siesta is my friend and I will protect her. Now, where does he live?"

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. Roxas is pissed off. Anyways, I introduced a couple of OC's who will appear in further chapters. Yes, Derflinger is not here yet, but don't worry, he will make his appearance. Not soon, but he will. Sorry if anyone thinks that Curaga was to OP in this story, but even in the games, when the characters had a tiny bit of health, Curaga would fix them right up. Anyway, how did I do? Please leave a review and look forward to the next chapter.**

 **Later!**


	5. Chapter 5: Horror

**Authors Note: Thanks again everyone for all the support on this story. Your reviews are awesome and I am grateful for them.**

 **I have a question. I want to add pictures to my story because it feels so bland without one. What is the deal with that? The terms say that I need to own the picture, or I need to get permission to use a picture. So to me, that means that I cannot just google the picture I want to use and use it in my profile. What are your thoughts on that? I found a few pictures that would look cool, but I don't know if referencing where I got the picture will be enough.**

 **Also, this chapter will be a little dark. You have been warned.**

 **Warning: Spelling will be the death of me. I tried really hard to catch them, but I may have missed a few.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **Anyway, thanks again for your reviews. Please enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 5

Much to his extreme agitation, Roxas knew that he would have to wait until nightfall before he made his move. Knowing about Louise's insane ability to throw a fit about absolutely everything, he decided that it would be wise not to tell her about what he was going to do. Siesta didn't mean anything to her, but to Roxas, she was an important friend and he was not going to let her suffer.

Roxas rested his back against the wall of Louis's room as he waited for her to fall asleep. It had taken all of his self-restraint not to rush over to Count Motts place and rip him a new one, but he had learned the hard way that you cannot just rush blindly into a fight. That was how Riku defeated him in the first place.

He decided that night would be the best time to act, plus no one would see him leave, so no one could stop him.

It was thanks to Guiche that he had a general idea of where Count Mott lived. It kind of surprised Roxas that Guiche had helped him out. There was something a little different about the blond haired mage since their first encounter. Guiche had even told him a little about Count Mott's abilities, including his status as a triangle class mage, and his gifted affinity for water. He really pulled through for Roxas, and that was an unexpected surprise because Roxas felt that Guiche would hate him after their battle.

Roxas shook his head as he tried to focus on more important matters. He glanced over at Louise, who was laying on her bed, snoring softly into her pillow. He gave a deep breath before he slowly stood on his feet and snuck out of the room. He knew he had to be quick because he had no idea what Count Mott would do to Siesta. He dearly wished that he could just use the Corridor of darkness and instantly teleport to Count Motts place, but he had never been there before.

Roxas quickly ran through the academy before he ended up outside. The dual moons were glowing brightly in the night sky, sending there dim light across the field. Roxas didn't pay much attention to it as he shot across the academy grounds. He was about to reach the walls that surrounded the school when a sudden shadow cascaded over him, blocking the moons light for a brief moment. He stopped suddenly as he looked up to see a familiar blue dragon descending to the ground. Sylphid landed right in front of him before giving a joyful warble.

Roxas stared at the dragon for a second before he attempted to move around her. Immediately, she maneuvered in front of him before nudging his chest with her nose, purring up a storm as she did so.

Roxas gave a small sigh as he scratched the dragons head. "Sorry Sylphid. I didn't come out here to sleep tonight. I have something really important that I need to do." He said as he gently pushed her head away. He tried to walk past the dragon for a second time, but she blocked his path again before fixing him with a worried stare, almost as if to ask where he was going.

"Sylphid, please move." Roxas said firmly.

The dragon slumped, almost as if her entire soul had been crushed by his words. She gave a sorrowful warble as she once again nudged his chest with her head.

Roxas felt like he had just kicked a puppy. He felt a little bad, but what did he have to feel bad for? Mabey a different approach would work. Gently, he grasped the dragons head with both his hands and lifted it up until their eyes were level with each other. Roxas gave the dragon a small smile.

"Don't worry Sylphid, I will be back soon." He said as he stared into her green eyes. His expression changed to one of determination. "But I cannot sit around when my friend is in trouble. I have to help her."

Sylphid cocked her head ever so slightly to indicate that she didn't understand. So Roxas continued. "Siesta was taken by Count Mott to be his mistress. I have seen what he has done to people, and I will not let that happen to her. I will help her, so let me pass…Please."

Sylphid stared into Roxas, seeing the determination in his deep blue eyes. But there was something else she noticed as well.

Desperation

He didn't just want to save Siesta; he was desperate to save her.

Seeing this was…touching. Sylphid was so use to pride and recognition as the only things that people cared about, especially nobles…with the exception of her master. But here stood someone who could care less about that and was willing to risk his life to protect someone else. With that, Sylphid gave a comforting coo before she licked Roxas's cheek. She pulled her head away from him before moving out of the way, allowing Roxas to pass.

Roxas stared up at the dragon before giving her a small smile. "Thanks Girl. I will make sure to get you a little something extra from the kitchen tomorrow." He said before he rushed down the dusty road. Sylphid watched as he glided across the dirt at an extraordinary pace before she quickly flew to her master's room. Roxas may be strong enough to handle Guiche, but against Count Mott…That was a different story. Even though he was so determined, she needed to let her master know just in case something happened to him.

* * *

Roxas rushed down the road, letting the wind whip violently against his coat as he moved. The cool night air was a soft touch against his skin as he continued to glide. He needed to be quick. Just remembering the little girl bleeding on the ground, and then her mother's words about the horrors of being a mistress for Count Mott got Roxas's blood boiling. He needed to help her. He just needed to.

It wasn't long until Roxas found what he was looking for. He was standing in front of an extremely luxurious house with a large gate surrounding it. Quickly, he hid in the shadows of the walls as he watched a few guards as they walked by. They were stationed at every entrance, blocking him from any easy route in, which would have posed a problem…

But Roxas was not the type of person to just sneak in.

Slowly he reached over his shoulder and flipped on his hood, completely covering his face in the process. In his left hand, the oblivion flashed into existence.

* * *

Siesta was sitting in a rather large bathtub. If not for the fact that she was waiting to be summoned by Count Mott, she may have enjoyed the warm water rushing over her skin. But there was nothing to enjoy about the current situation. Just thinking about her first day had nearly made her tear up. The entire day consisted of a complete tour of the estate. She was instructed on what she would be doing, which included cleaning the entire mansion along with a few other maids, preparing meals, and straightening up the gardens. Work like that wasn't an issue though because she was use to that kind of labor at the academy. What really bothered her was the last instruction.

Please the Count every night, and no, that did not mean just make him happy.

To Count Mott, she was just a glorified sex toy that he could play with whenever he wanted to. But even as horrifying as that was, it was nothing in compared to the punishment if she did not do enough to please him.

It was in his basement that she really saw the true colors of the Count. Siesta nearly cried in horror as she saw a couple of prison cells down there, each one had at least three women, barely older than herself, cowering in the corner and crying their eyes out. They were extremely malnourished and there clothing consisted of rags. They were covered in bruises and fresh cuts, which signified significant abuse.

The instant they saw the Count, they began sobbing hysterically until he beat their cages with his staff. "Silence." He sneered quietly. The pure venom in his voice and his threatening tone caused the girls to quiet down and huddle closer together.

It was taking all of Siesta's willpower not to scream out in horror. She was literally shaking in fear at the thought of what kind of life she would be leading now.

Immediately, she bit the inside of her cheek in a futile attempt to calm down, all the while wondering how someone could be this brutal. She wanted nothing more than to help the girls in the cages, but Siesta knew that she would end up just like them if she tried.

Immediately, the Count smacked the cages with his staff once more before he turned to Siesta. "This is what will happen to you if you fail to please me Siesta." The count said with a sickening smile. "If you do anything to help them, or if I find out you helped them in any way, you will only wish you had it as good as them."

Siesta was really shaking now as Count Mott was about to pass her, brushing up against her shoulder as he walked by. Chills of disgust spread through her body as she felt his touch. It was cold…and lifeless.

"Oh, and don't bother trying to report this to the palace." Count Mott said as he turned to look at her. "After all, who would believe the words of a commoner?"

Siesta hated to admit it…She REALLY hated to admit it, but he was right. Who would believe her over the words of the royal messenger?

As she sat in the bathtub awaiting her first night, she could not help it as tears started to stream down her face. Her quiet sobs echoed against the bathroom walls, but she didn't care. She didn't want to live the rest of her life like this, being on object for sex and always under the constant fear of displeasing this disgusting man.

"Roxas." She murmured through her tears as she remembering his small, yet comforting smile and the fierce determination in his eyes. Seeing that he could smile even though he was a slave, disguised as a familiar, was inspiring. He even had the courage to stand against a noble when the odds may have been against him. He fought to protect her and didn't care about social standing.

But now that she saw who Count Mot truly was, she knew that the treatment he went through would pale in comparison to hers.

"Siesta."

Siesta flinched as she heard a chackling voice call her name. She looked over to see a rather old woman standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

"The Count is ready for you."

"I-I understand." She said quietly. A few more tears fell down her face as she rose from the tub.

* * *

The Count was enjoying a cup of tea before getting ready for bed, grinning to himself at the prospect of a new toy. He felt lucky that he had seen her when he delivered his message to the academy. Her figure was so irresistible that he just had to have her. So, like a rich child who wanted another toy, he bought her from the academy. He had to test out his new asset to see if she could please him as well as his other mistresses. If not…then she would just go to his collection in the basement. A win/win situation.

"Count Mott!"

The Count was pulled from his thoughts when he saw one of his guards burst through the doors to his room. He leveled the man with a glare. "This better be good. What is it!?"

The guard had a look of panic on his face. "There is a hooded figure invading the estate. We sent more guards after him, but he is unstoppable."

"What!" Mott shouted in outrage. "Who would be foolish enough to attack my house? Do they not realize that attacking a noble results in the death sentence?"

"Lord Mott, we haven't been able to stop him yet. He might already be in the building right now."

Count Mott felt a vein bulge in his head. He was just enjoying his cup of tea and getting ready to play with his new toy, and now someone had interrupted his night of pleasure by invading him. Whoever was intruding on his property better hope the guards kill him, because the Count would do much worse.

"I guess it is time to show what a real mage can do." Mott said as he grabbed his staff and followed the guard out the doors.

Mott quickly followed the guard to the main lobby before he caught a sight that made his eyes widen. His guards were lying on the ground, some unconscious, some groaning in pain. Standing in the middle was a figure in a black coat, a hood obscuring his face. He was carrying a dark weapon that looked very similar to a key.

Mott looked to his last guard. "Don't just stand there! Get Him."

The guard looked between the unconscious men and Count Mott. He was more afraid of what the Count would do to him if he didn't obey, so with what courage he had left, the guard drew his sword and charged at the figure.

Immediately, the guard raised his sword and tried to bring in down on the hooded figure, but he was blocked when the intruder raised his weapon. The guard's sword was immediately knocked aside by the enemy's weapon before the intruder spun around and slamming the side of the weapon into the guard's side. The guard screamed in pain before dropping his weapon and grasping his stomach. The cloaked person then quickly raised his weapon and brought it down on the guards head with a crack.

Even Mott had to wince as the guard was knocked unconscious. But his surprise turned to fury as he surveyed the scene. All of his guards had been defeated by a single person. How dare this person break into his estate. He quickly raised his staff and pointed it at the Intruder. "WHO ARE YOU?"

* * *

Roxas stared at the man in front of him. It was the same man he saw in the small town a few days ago, the one that nearly killed Ellie.

"Count Mott."

Mott narrowed his eyes at him before a grin split is face. "That would be me. Why have you attacked my estate? You realize the punishment is death for attacking a noble."

"Get Real! If this is the best you can do, then I don't have anything to worry about."

Count Mott's face grew red from the insult. "You are really pushing it. Answer me! Why have you attacked my estate?

"Just one reason," Roxas said as he clasped the oblivion with both hands and crouched down into his signature stance. "To get my friend back."

Count Mott stared at the cloaked youth for a few moments, trying to understand what he was talking about. It didn't take long though as a grin split down the Counts face. "Oh I see. You're talking about that maid I just hired. I haven't gotten a new toy in a while before I got her." Mott said with a sinister grin. "Well, there is nothing you can do about it. She is my maid now, and as such, I will do with her what I want."

"No, you won't." Roxas said dangerously before taking a few steps forward.

Mott shook his head before he laughed. "You may have been able to beat my guards, but I am a triangle class mage. It will take a lot more than inferior swordsmanship to beat me." He said as he waved his staff at a nearby vase. Immediately it fell to the ground, spilling water all over the floor. With another flick of his staff, the water came to life as it rose from the ground and started to slowly swirl around the Count. "I am known as Count Mott, The Wave. You will regret invading my estate because it will be the last thing you ever do."

* * *

Louise was angry…no she was beyond angry. She was just sleeping peacefully in her room before she was rudely awakened by Kirche and Tabitha. Somehow, Tabitha had found out what Roxas had done and went straight to Kirche. They both then ended up telling Louise about it because Roxas was her familiar.

When they woke her up and told her about the situation, they nearly had to take cover as Louise erupted like a geyser. The explosion from her wand was probably loud enough to wake half of the academy. It completely shattered her windows and destroyed a good amount of her room.

"Why in the world would he do this?" Louise screeched as she, Tabitha, and Kirche walked dashed through the hallways toward where Sylphid was waiting for them.

"Well, according to Tabitha, it was because Count Mott took Siesta to be one of his mistresses." Replied Kirche.

Louise turned to look at the petite, blue-haired girl. "And how did you find out about this?"

Tabitha didn't spare Louise a glance as they continued to make their way toward the court yard. Her silence only served to fuel Louise's anger, but she brushed it off for now because she had more important matters to think about.

When they finally made it outside, they found that someone was standing next to Sylphid, waiting for them.

"Professor Colbert! What are you doing out here?" Asked Louise.

Colbert was staring at them suspiciously through his round spectacles. "I could be asking you the same question. It is late in the night, and you all should be in bed. I myself was nearly about to sleep when an explosion caught my attention. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" he asked.

Louise winced. "Well-"

"And then," Colbert continued as he glanced up at Sylphid. "When I leave to see what is going on, I find that one of my students familiar is prepared for flight. You wouldn't happen to be going somewhere, would you?"

"I-I-I" Louise stuttered.

Kirche gave a sigh as she realized that they were caught red handed. "Professor Colbert, this is urgent. Let us pass please~" she said with a seductive smile and a wink.

Colbert wasn't affected in the slightest. "And what is the emergency? What is going on!" he demanded.

Kirche gave another sigh. There was no way around this. "It's Louise's familiar. One of the maids was hired by Count Mott, and he went to get her back."

Colbert's eyes widened. "He did what! Why would he do that? All Count Mott did what hire her from the academy."

"Roxas seems to think that there was more to Count Motts intentions than to just heir her." Kirche explained. "That is why we need to stop him. Who knows what kind of trouble Louise could get into if they found out Roxas is her familiar.

Colbert adopted a serious look as he thought about the situation. Kirche was one the money about the amount of trouble the Vallière family would have to deal with because one of their familiars acted out against a noble. But this also went beyond that. Roxas was far more valuable than a political issue.

"I understand, but I will go with you. You may need my help" Colbert said.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise stared at the professor in surprise for a few seconds before agreeing. All of them hopped onto Sylphid's back before the dragon took off into the air.

As they flew, Louise could not help but be infuriated at the situation. "That IDIOT DOG!" she screeched "What was he thinking?

Kirche gave a small chuckle as she looked back at the pink-haired girl. "Louise, don't you remember what happened to Guiche when he tried to hurt Siesta?" she asked. "If Roxas even thinks that something bad will happen to her, I don't imagine he is one to just sit by and roll with it."

Louise nodded, but that didn't let up on her anger. "He didn't even ask me for permission!"

"Would you have said yes?"

"Absolutely NOT!" she yelled. "What if he does something stupid? He could die! Going against Guiche is one thing, but going against a tringle class mage. He doesn't stand a chance, no matter how good of a swordsman he is."

Kirche giggled a bit. "It sounds like someone is starting to get attached to their familiar."

"Not another word Zerbst!"

It didn't take long to make it to Count Mott's estate. Sylphid landed outside of the mansion walls, allowing everyone to disembark. Immediately, the group ran to the entrance of the gates before stopping dead in there tracks.

There were guards lying all over the ground. All were alive, but they were either moaning in pain or completely unconscious. Suddenly, the front door to the estate flew open as a wave of water burst through and landed on the grass in front of them.

"Oh, no!" Colbert gasped as he and the rest of the group rushed towards the open door.

* * *

Siesta looked at the mirror in Count Mott's bedroom in disgust. She was ordered to wear an extremely reveling and hideous slave outfit. Count Mott sure had a nasty fetish if he wanted her to wear something like this. Siesta didn't know if she would ever look at herself the same after the night was over.

Once she was done with her bath, she was brought to Count Mott's room in order to wait for him. But for some reason, the Count had not shown up yet.

Not that Siesta minded because she wanted to keep her purity as long as she could before she was violated. However, she had been sitting there for a while now and the Count was still gone.

Suddenly, she heard an explosion coming from the main lobby. Her head immediately jerked toward the door of the bedroom. She felt another small tremor and a few shouts from the main lobby. It was easy to tell that the shouts were coming from Count Mott.

Siesta bit her lip as she stood from the bed and walked over to the door. What was going on? Who was he yelling at? She really wanted to go see what was happening, but she feared what the Count would do to her if she left the room.

Another small tremor caught her attention again. She bit her lip as she gain bit of courage. She quickly put her maid uniform back on before she grasped the door handle and turned. The door swung open before she left the room in a hurry. Siesta snuck along the hallway before she came to the doors that lead to the main lobby. Carefully, she pushed to door open a crack to see what was going on.

* * *

Roxas leaped high into the air as another jet of water was blasted at him. Upon landing on the ground, he immediately shot at the Count before swinging his weapon.

Count Mott panicked for a brief moment before he waved his staff. A wall of Ice erupted from the ground, separating him from Roxas. Roxas's Keyblade smashed into the ice, complexly shattering it from the sheer amount of power behind the swing. Mott barely had time to jump away before he shot another stream of water at Roxas.

Roxas ducked before he whirled his Keyblade at the mage. Mott raised another wall of ice to protect himself before the Keyblade smashed into it, completely ricocheting off of the ice, but Roxas was already moving. He dove around the wall before he caught the oblivion and whirled it once more at the Count.

Mott didn't have time to react at the weapon smashed into his side, sending him sprawling to the ground. However, Mott was not done yet. He grasped his side before he muttered a few words to complete a spell. Immediately, the wall of ice that protected him from the Keyblade shattered into ice spikes before they immediately turned toward Roxas. With one last wave of his staff, Mott sent the spikes sailing at Roxas.

Roxas saw the projectiles coming his way, but they were nothing compared to Xigbar's sharpshooting arrows. He slashed at each spike with his Keyblade, shattering them before any could make contact with his body.

Count Mott could only watch slack-jawed as his attack was effortlessly rendered useless. He had never seen someone with this amount of skill with a sword…or whatever he was using. Truthfully, he was getting a little worried as he stood on his feet. He barely had time to erect a barrier of water as Roxas shot at him again. Roxas collided with the wall of water, breaking right through before slashing at Mott, but Mott once again raised a shield of ice to protect him from the onslaught. The ice barely held long enough for the elusive man to put a little distance between him and Roxas.

Roxas shattered the ice again as he looked at the fleeing Count Mott. The older man was breathing heavier as perspiration was rolling down his face. Roxas had to admit, this man was much more skilled than Guiche.

Count Mott was breathing deeply as he looked at the hooded swordsman. Never had he been pushed this hard against a commoner before. Quickly, he pointed his staff at a few more vases, causing them to fall to the ground. He waved his staff around and surrounded himself with the water, ready to continue the fight.

Roxas only took one look at the man before shaking his head. Mott had just sealed his fate with that move.

Why?

Let's just say that there was a reason why Demnyx could never beat Larxene.

Roxas simply raised his Keyblade into the air. "Thunder"

Immediately, they Keyblade released an arc of electricity into the air before a bolt of lightning crashed down on the wall of water that Count Mott surrounded himself with.

AURRGGG!" the count screamed as he felt the water conduct the electrical current through his body. Mott had never felt his kind of pain in his life. Every nerve in his body was screaming out in pain as they were fried by the electricity. He dropped his staff as he continued to scream out in pain.

Immediately, the water splashed to the ground. Mott stood there for a second before he fell to his knees. He stared at the hooded figure for only a second before he fell, face first onto the wet ground.

Roxas watched the motionless body for a few seconds before he walked towards it. He nudged the body with his foot. Mott was still breathing, but he was out cold. Roxas looked at the staff that was just lying there in the water. With one quick motion, he stomped on it, completely breaking it in half.

* * *

Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, and Colbert had watched the whole thing from the entrance of the mansion. They were completely and utterly speechless. Roxas had destroyed a triangle class mage. Not only that, but he used a lighting spell to do it. That was at least a square class wind mage technique.

Kirche and Tabitha knew that Roxas could use magic, but not to this caliber. He had cast it so fast that Count Mott didn't even have time to react.

Colbert had to take off his glasses and rub his eyes a few times to make sure he had seen that correctly. How did a familiar managed to use a spell like that. It couldn't have been the power of the runes because the runes of Gandalfr only granted the power to wield any weapon.

Louise was completely flabbergasted. She had no idea that Roxas could use spells like that. He was able to summon weapons, and call forth lighting like a square class mage. What in the world had she summoned?

* * *

Siesta has seen the majority of the battle behind a slightly opened door. She could only watch in wonder as the hooded stranger faced off against a powerful mage like Count Mott. But as the battle continued, she was amazed at the amount of skill this person displayed as he completely destroyed the Count.

However, now that things had settled down, he noticed the weapon he was using. She could only give a small gasp because she could recognize that unique weapon anywhere. Immediately, she pushed open the door.

* * *

"Roxas?"

Roxas felt his eyes widen as he recognized the voice that addressed him. He immediately turned to see a familiar face standing in a doorway. He gave a small sigh of relief as he saw Siesta standing there. It looked like Count Mott had not done anything to her yet. Slowly, he reached up and grasped his hood before lowering it.

"Siesta." He said as he let the Oblivion vanish from his hand.

Siesta's hands covered her mouth as she tried to stop the sobs from coming.

It was Roxas.

He really came for her

Siesta stood there for a moment as she looked between Count Mott at Roxas a few times, tears started to stream down her face.

"You-You came." She gasped as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

Roxas scrunched his eyebrow when he saw her crying. Why was she crying? Had Mott done something to her? "Of course I did. I already told you. You are my friend and I will protect you." He said as he walked up to her.

Siesta couldn't help it. She started to sob as she gently leaned forward, burying her face into his shoulder and pushing her body against his.

Roxas didn't know what to do. His friend was crying, and it ached his heart to see her like this. What had Count Mott done to her to make her cry, and what could he do to help? He could literally feel her shaking against him as she cried against his shoulder.

 _Just hold her Roxas._

Roxas blinked a few times as he gently raised his arms and wrapped them around her back, holding her close to him. He didn't know where that thought came from, but it was the best suggestion he had.

As siesta felt Roxas's arms around her, she could not help it as more tears formed in her eyes. This was so much better than being touched by Count Mott. Roxas's touch was warm and gentle, almost like someone was wrapping her in a comforting blanket.

* * *

Kirche, Tabitha, Louise, and Colbert all watched the interaction between Roxas and Siesta for a few moments. They had seen how Siesta had reacted when she saw Roxas. They saw how broken she looked when she made her presents known. What could have caused her to react like that? Wasn't she just hired as a maid?

When they saw Roxas hold the poor girl, Kirche could not help a small smile cross her face. "Not going to lie, that is adorable."

Louise's thoughts were on a different plane thought. She looked at the unconscious Count because she realized what Roxas had done. She grit her teeth before she stomped into the lobby.

"FAMILIAR!"

Roxas and Siesta jumped as they looked toward the entrance. There stood Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, and Professor Colbert. Roxas's eyes widened. How in the world did they know?

Louise stomped up to Roxas before grabbing his sleeve and yanking him away from Siesta. Siesta still had a few tears in her eyes, but she was staring to calm down as she a few deep breaths. She wiped the tears away as she saw Tabitha, Kirche, and Professor Colbert all enter the estate. Her eyes widened as an idea formed in her head.

"Do you have any idea what you have done? What this means for me and my Family? You broke into Count Mott's estate and attacked him. Do you know how much trouble we are going to be in? Especially when the palace knows about it?" she screamed.

Roxas frowned. "Louise Listen…."

"NO, shut up." She barked. "You just made life a lot harder for all of us, especially Siesta. Do you know what the palace is going to do to her once they find out she was involved?"

Roxas glared at the girl and was about to retort when a scream caught his attention. His eyes widened as he looked back towards Siesta. She was being dragged away by someone.

Standing behind Siesta, holding her around the neck with one arm and a grasping a broken staff in the other, was a very angry and exhausted Count Mott.

"NOBODY MOVE" he yelled, causing Siesta to scream again. "SHUT UP." He screamed in her face, causing flecks of spit to fly from his mouth. He pointed his broken staff at her before looking at Roxas. "You have breached my estate and humiliated me! You will pay dearly for what you've done." He pointed his staff at Roxas before a sickening grin crossed his face. "I can tell that she means a lot to you, so you are going to watch as I have my way with her. If you make one move, I will not hesitate to kill her."

Colbert, Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise all felt their eyes widen at Count Motts declaration. He just claimed that he would sexually abuse her right in front of them. If it were possible, their eyes widened even further when they saw the Count roughly grasp one of Siesta's breasts. Now they may not have cared much about commoners, but this was just sickening.

Siesta gave a yelp of pain before looking at Roxas pleadingly. Roxas clenched his fists so hard that the material in his gloves threatened to break. He took a few steps forward before a shout from Count Mott halted him in his tracks.

"Stop where you are. I'm warning you." He shouted as he pointed his broken staff at Siesta. The water from the ground rose slightly before they formed into icy spikes. They hovered in the air, pointing at Siesta. "One more step, and having my way with her will be the least of your worries."

"Roxas please." Siesta whimpered as the Count continued to roughly grab her.

Roxas stared at Siesta. He felt his fury rise as she continued to cry out in pain. He grit his teeth before he looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you trust me Siesta?"

Siesta paused as she saw the determined look in Roxas's eyes. She tried to ignore the pain that the Count was causing her as she nodded her head. "Yes."

Roxas nodded before he leveled Count Mott with a glare. Suddenly, a pillar of darkness erupted around Roxas for a brief moment, completely covering the boy. When the wispy darkness vanished, Roxas was nowhere in sight.

Everyone looked around in compete shock. Roxas had just vanished without a trace. Gone. Just like that.

Count Mott looked around frantically for the boy. "WHERE IS H-"

WHACK

The sound of metal hitting bone echoed through the lobby. Suddenly, the ice spikes that Surrounded Siesta and Count Mott fell the ground, shattering upon contact. Count Mott's body slumped over Siestas shoulder for a brief moment before it also crashed the ground, unmoving.

Slowly, Siesta turned her head to see Roxas standing there, the dark weapon clenched in his hand. It vanished in a flash of light just a moment later.

Everyone that was still conscious was staring at the boy, almost unable to comprehend what he had just done. Literally, he just teleported behind Count Mott and knocked him out in an instant.

How? HOW?

Kirche was the first to recover as she massaged her temples. "Just when I thought I had seen everything."

Siesta was also staring at Roxas as she massaged her sore breast. So many questions were going through her mind that she didn't even know where to begin. But right now was not the best time to ask them. She had an idea to follow through with.

"Professor Colbert. There is something you need to see." She said, getting the professors attention.

Colbert tore his amazed gaze away from Roxas for a moment before he focused on Siesta. "W-What is it?" he asked, still trying to get over his befuddlement.

Siesta adopted a serious look before she walked to the doors the lead to the basement. "The true colors of Count Mott." She said before she turned to Roxas. "Please come with us too. I may need your help."

Roxas nodded as he followed Siesta. Colbert turned to the rest of the girls. "Stay here for now. I will be back shortly."

Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha watched as Roxas and Colbert followed Siesta. When they were out of sight, Kirche turned to Louise. "What in the world did you summon Louise?"

Louise was still too shocked to give an immediate reply. "I-I don't know."

* * *

Professor Colbert, Roxas, and Siesta had just entered the basement. When Siesta pushed open the doors, Colbert could already hear the whimpers of several young women. Once they entered, Roxas and Colbert could only stare in horror at what was hidden in the basement. There were four cells, each with at least three young women in them. They were dressed in rags, severely malnourished, and covered in bruises and cuts.

Roxas's mouth was dropped open in horror. Not in all the time he been alive had he seen such a horrifying sight. Was this going to be Siesta's fate if he hadn't shown up? Was this why Siesta had been crying? Roxas felt pure fury course through his veins at the very thought.

Siesta quickly went to the first cage before she grasped the bars. "Don't worry, we are here to help." She said the group of cowering girls. She then turned to Professor Colbert. "We need to find the keys. I think they may be in Count Mott's room."

"Don't Bother." Roxas said through grit teeth as the Oblivion flashed into existence.

Siesta looked at the weapon for a second before glancing at Roxas. "What are you planning to do?"

Roxas didn't answer as he walked up beside Siesta and pointed the tip of the Keyblade at the lock. Immediately, there was a loud click before the cell door swung open. Roxas didn't catch the shocked looks of both Siesta and Colbert as he unlocked the other three cells.

Right when the cell doors opened, the girls immediately backed away and huddled in the corner, eyeing Roxas and Colbert with extremely fearful eyes.

Siesta nearly teared as she saw the state they were in mentally before she turned to Colbert and Roxas. "It looks like they are scared of men now because of Count Mott. I don't know how long they have been down here, but they must have been abused for a long time. Can you send down Mistress Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha while you wait outside, please?" She asked as she went back to comforting the abused women.

Roxas and Colbert nodded before they left. Roxas was shaking in anger as he looked up at Professor Colbert. "How can something like this be Ok?" Roxas said through ground teeth.

Colbert flinched at the pure venom in Roxas's voice. "Something like this is definitely not ok Roxas. What Count Mott did to them is illegal and extremely disgusting."

"But he was still able to get away with it for so long, just because he was a noble! What do you think would have happened to Siesta if it hadn't of shown up?"

Colbert didn't want to even think about it. "It's a flaw in the system. It's unfortunate, but no one would believe the mouth of commoners, so there are a lot of Nobles can get away with things like this."

Roxas made no reply as he grit his teeth in anger. He wanted nothing more than to end Mott's existence right then and there.

No

He was going to end his existence. Mott needed to die.

Right when they entered the lobby, Colbert and Roxas were ambushed by Louise and Kirche. "Roxas, Professor Colbert! Count Mott managed to get away. If he reaches the palace, then there will be nothing we can do to escape the political backfire." Louise said with an extremely worried expression on her face.

Professor Colbert narrowed his eyes before he rested a comforting hand on the girls shoulder. "That won't happen. Count Mott did something unforgivable." Colbert said though clenched teeth before he turned to his students. "Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, I need you to go to the basement and help Siesta. There is a lengthy letter I need to write to the palace." He said as he left to scour the estate in search of an office.

The three girls gave the professor a curious look before they made their way to the basement.

Roxas however was shaking in anger. Count Mott was gone, but Roxas swore if he ever saw the man again, then not even Sora would be able to stop him from ending Mott's existence. Roxas took the time to sit on one of the couches in the lobby in order to cool off his anger.

* * *

It was hours later that Kirche, Tabitha, Louise, and Siesta was able to coax the traumatized girls out of the basement. When the three nobles had first gotten to the basement, they nearly fainted at the sight of the girls. Poor women were so traumatized that Roxas and Colbert had to actually leave the building before they would come out.

Colbert had written a lengthy letter to the palace and explained what Count Mott had done. Even Roxas was impressed at how fast the palace had reacted. It only took a few hours for a couple of carriages to arrive with female medic and solders to show up and take care of the women.

Roxas and Colbert were waiting in another room as they waited for the carriages to take the women back to the palace for some more advanced medical treatment. Soon, the door to their room opened and Siesta walked in.

"Roxas."

Roxas looked up at her. "Yes?"

"The girls want to say thank you."

Roxas raised an eyebrow, remembering there state when they first saw him. "Are they sure?"

"Truthfully no, but they at least want to thank the person who helped them escape from Count Mott." She said.

Roxas paused for a second before he nodded. He stood from his spot before following Siesta to the main lobby. There he saw the girls surrounded by a few female medics. The women were all wearing decent clothing now, but they still looked worse for wears.

As Roxas approached, he noticed that most of them shrank back from him with fear in their eyes. Roxas immediately stopped.

They stood there in an awkward silence for a while before one of the braver girls approached. She was about as tall as Siesta and had long, messy brown hair. She was trembling terribly, but continued to move forward. "You-You saved us Right?" She asked quietly.

"I defeated Count Mott." Roxas said. Truthfully, he came to save Siesta. He had no idea that there were others.

Soon, tears began to fall down her face as she sobbed. This caused the other girls to break down as well. "Thank you," she sobbed out as she wiped her eyes. "Thank you so much. We began to lose hope. T-There was no way out and there was n-nothing we could do. Thank you." She said as she continued to sob.

Roxas his chest fill up with pity for these women. It wasn't fair that they had to go through this just because they were commoners.

"Your welcome."

* * *

It was later that he, Siesta, Louise, Kirche, Tabitha, and Colbert all watched as the girls were taken away in carriages. It was now early in the morning and everyone was exhausted.

It didn't take long before everyone was back at the academy. Colbert turned to his students with dark bags under his eyes. "You all did very well. I will write the headmaster and excuse you all from classes today, so get some rest." He said before he slowly made his way back to his room.

Tabitha and Kirche gave a small yawn. "I will gladly take you up on that." Kirche said as she and Tabitha retreated back to their respected rooms.

Louise, Roxas, and Siesta were still up, but slowly making their way back to their own rooms as well. Siesta had her bags in her hands again, ready to go her own room before she turned to Roxas with a tired smile.

"Thank you so much Roxas." She said as she dropped her bag on the ground.

Roxas gave her an exhausted smile as well. "Your welcome…But Siesta" He said as his tone grew more serious. "Please…If there is something wrong, please tell me. When you are in trouble, don't hide if from me when I have the power to help."

Siesta's lower lip trembled as tears threatened to fall down her cheeks again. She was touched that he cared about her so much. This mysterious boy, who had very unique and powerful magic, had already done so much for her and was still willing to do more.

"I will, I promise." She said as she approached him. She gently reached up and kissed his cheek again, though this time she lingered there for a few moments before pulling away, a blush dusting her cheeks. "I will see you tomorrow Roxas. Thank you for everything." She picked up her bags and made her way back to her room.

Roxas felt his heart hammer against his chest as his face grew hot. He touched the place where she kissed him yet again. It felt really nice.

Louise, who had seen the whole thing, was too tired to be angry at the moment. She had a lot on her mind and the only thing she wanted to do now was get some sleep.

"Let's go!" She ground out through as they made their way back to her room.

* * *

"I DEMAND THAT ACTION TAKE PLACE!" Count Mott screamed furiously. He was sitting across from the queen and princess Henrietta. Standing in the corner of the room was a female guard with light brown hair. The queen was reading a letter as she listened to Count Mott ranting on and on about a commoner and a group of nobles that had invaded his estate. After reading the letter, she slowly lowered it while fixing Mott with a glare.

"And why would I do that Count Mott?" she asked with a smile.

Count Mott nearly choked on a breath, almost not sure he heard her correctly. "What-What do you MEAN? I WAS ATTACKED IN MY OWN HOME. I DEMAND RETREBUTION."

The queen leveled Count Mott with a glare. "Don't take that tone with me Count Mott. I will not tolerate any further outbursts."

Count Mott grit his teeth before he nodded.

"Very good." She said before she set the letter down. "You know Count Mott; I just received a letter that had very interesting details about what was in your basement." The queen started causing Mott to pale considerably. "The letter was from Jean Colbert, the professor at Tristain academy of magic. That was is enough to convict you of many sexual crimes against commoners."

Mott stood from his seat. "You can't convict me of anything with just one witness." Count Mott growled out.

"There was more than one witness of your horrendous acts Count Mott." The queen said before she picked up the letter again. "Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, the daughter of duke Vallière, Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst, and Charlotte Helene Orléans de Gallia where all there as well. That is one teacher and three nobles." She said as she stood from her seat. "Count Mott, you are guilty of many sexual assaults toward commoners, abuse, and enforced slavery. Because of these crimes, you are stripped of your title and sentenced to life in prison." She said before she turned to the only guard in the room. "Agnes, please escort this man to the dungeons."

"At once your majesty."

Count Mott was nearly shaking in fright. "NO YOU CAN'T DO THIS. THERE JUST COMMONERS. THEY DON'T MATTER!" Mott screamed before he was grasped tightly by Agnes, who was leveling him with a glare.

The queen shook her head. "You are wrong. Without the commoners, what would we be?" She said before a sad look crossed her face. "We as nobles sometimes forget that it is our duty to protect them." The queen then turned back to Agnes. "Take him away."

Agnes gave the queen a grateful smile before she started to drag Mott out of the room, his screams echoed through the hallway as he tried to resist.

Once he was gone. Princess Henrietta looked to the queen. "Mother, I heard you mentioned Louise. How was she involved?

The queen gave a sigh. "According the professor, her familiar stormed into count Mott's estate and defeated him. That was how she and the others found out about his grievances against commoners."

Henrietta's eyes widened. "Her familiar? What kind of familiar is he?"

"Apparently, one of a kind. There was not much detail in the letter, but it would seem that Louise actually summoned a human."

"A human?"

The queen could only nod. "Yes. When you go and see Louise during the familiar exhibition, you will probably meet him and you will see for yourself."

"I guess I will. What of Count Mott's estate and wealth? Does he have any relatives nearby?"

The queen adopted a thoughtful look before she smiled. "No, but we will worry about that later."

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you go. *whew* over 8k words for this chapter. I was on a role. How did you like it? I hope it wasn't too dark for a T rated Fic. But anyway, leave a review and let me know. Thanks for reading and please look forward to the next update.**


	6. Chapter 6: Shame

**Authors note: Awe YEAH! 100+ review, favorite, and follow Hype! Thank you for all your comments and support on the story, it really means a lot to me. I am still getting a lot of questions about what Roxas's abilities are, the main one being about his control over the lesser nobody's. Guys please…PATIENCE! A story is no fun if you revile everything all at once. Roxas's abilities will be reviled when he needs to use them. He defeats his enemies with the amount of strength he needs to use.**

 **Now, this chapter will answer a couple questions about what Roxas will be able to do, but you will have to read and find out.**

 **But anyway, this chapter took a while to get out because the rough draft was complete crap. I literally had to gut it in order to make it decent enough to post. And with 12K+ words, this is my longest chapter yet. I don't know if they will continue to be this long or not, it all depends on the ideas I get while I am editing the rough draft. But I can promise you that they all will be over 5K in length. I don't do skimpy chapters. I hope you enjoy it though. I was debating to cut this into two chapters, but you all have been so patient that I decided to post the whole thing.**

 **Warning: It is very difficult to catch all the spelling errors in 12 thousand words, so please forgive me if you find any.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 6

Louise looked around in confusion. Currently, she was sitting in a cage alongside a couple other girls. Why was she in a cage? She looked over to the two other occupants before she tried to demand answers from them, however, no words came forth out of her mouth.

She tried again to speak, but the results were the same.

Louise then noticed the way they were dressed and the physical state they were in. They were in the exact same condition as the girls they found in Count Motts basement. Suddenly, she looked down at herself before gasping in horror. She was wearing the same attire as them and her body was also as malnourished. What was going on?

She was torn from her thoughts when she heard a door to the basement open. Louise immediately noticed that the girls gasped as they looked toward the basement entrance in complete horror before they cuddled together. Soon, Louise turned her head only to be greeted with the sight of Count Mott standing on the outside of the cage with a sickening grin on his face. He pulled a key out of his robes before he unlocked the door.

Louise tried to demand that he tell her what was going on, but no words came out of her mouth. She tried to move, but for some reason, she was rooted in that spot and could only watch as Count Mott grew closer to her.

Soon, the Count roughly grabbed her arm, causing her to wince in pain. She tried to pull away, but Mott grip was unrelenting. She could only watch hopelessly as the disgusting man's face grew closer to hers. Soon, she could feel his hot breath against her ear as his face was right next to hers.

"Scream all you want commoner." Mott breathed into her ear, causing her to cringe in disgust. "But no one will help, after all…" He pulled away and fixed Louise with possessive stares. "Why would anyone care about what happens to you? You're just a peasant, an ant below my shoe…." He brought his face next to hers again before he whispered in her ear. "A nothing."

* * *

Louise awoke from her bed with a gasp as she looked around. Cold sweat was rolling down her face as she took a couple breaths to try and calm her beating heart. It was that dream again.

Ever since she had seen what was in Count Mott's basement, she was having that same nightmare for the past couple of nights. Never in her life has she seen something so horrifying. She could not believe how mentally scarred those girls where and didn't even want to think about what Count Mott did for them to end up in that state.

However, the true horror came because of how Mott was able to get away with it. It was one simple reason.

Because they were commoners.

Louise had always thought that Nobles were above commoners, that it didn't really matter what happened to them. But when she saw those women, and all the abuse they went through just because of their social status…It was truly disgusting.

And these dreams…They were making her understand what it would have been like if she was in the same position as those women. Just the thought made Louise cringe.

Slowly, she looked over at the boy in her room. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, sleeping silently. Ever since she had summoned him, her entire world had been turned upside down.

He was her familiar, but he rarely listened to her which should have been impossible. He was a commoner, but he had the ability to use magic. However he only used his power to help people in need, whether they were commoner or noble. He had absolutely no regards for social status and treated everyone the same.

He stood against two nobles to save Siesta simply because she was his friend. He didn't even publicly announce what he had done in order to gain the attention of those around him because he couldn't care less about what people thought about him.

Louise thought back on the time that Kirche had made fun or her and basically told Roxas that he was entitled to be disappointed in her. But Roxas didn't care that she couldn't use magic. He was simply content that he was alive and had people that were his friends.

That was…so different than what she was used to. Nobles usually fought for the sake of their honor and pride, something that Roxas didn't care about.

Louise took her eyes off the strange boy as she tried to go back to bed, thought her mind was still full of confusion. Why was Roxas so content? He had so much power, but didn't flaunt it to get the respect of his pears. He was not a noble, and he was fine with that.

It was almost frustrating because he had so little and could be happy with it while she had nearly everything that commoners could only dream of having, and she was still unhappy.

Louise shook her head as she tried to clear her thoughts. She needed to prepare for tomorrow and hopefully she would get some answers from Roxas. He had been dodging her and Kirche's questions ever since the incident with Count Mott.

* * *

Roxas gave a deep sigh as he walked toward the kitchens. The past few days had been a complete and utter nightmare.

Why?

Because Louise and Kirche would not stop badgering him about his abilities. They literally asked one question after another without even giving him time to respond. Then, Louise would throw a fit because Kirche was questioning him when she didn't give her permission to do so. It eventually became so ridiculous that he had to leave in order to keep his sanity. It wasn't very hard to slip away because they were both too distracted to notice.

The next few days consisted of avoiding them and their questions. There was just no need to answer them. Why did it matter what his abilities where? He just used them to protect the people he cared about.

Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha really pushed his patience when Kirche convinced Tabitha to order Sylphid to pin Roxas down so he could not run away. The dragon literally held Roxas down with one of her paws as Kirche and Louise would question him. Tabitha just sat next to her dragon while reading her book. It didn't really look like she was interested until Roxas saw her eyes glance over at him from time to time. He could not believe they would go that far. Why did they even have to know? Why was it important?

Being pinned down was not much of a problem thanks to the corridor of darkness though. Now that they had seen him use it, he was no longer afraid to show that ability. Anytime they would try and restrain him in order to question him, he would just use the corridor to leave. Sylphid learned to never pin him down like that again.

Why?

Because when he arrived on the rooftop to watch the sunset, he didn't bring her a treat from the kitchen. It was a nearly traumatizing experience for the dragon.

After a few more failed attempts at getting information out of him, Kirche and Louise eventually gave up.

Roxas gave a sigh of relief as he thought back on the past few days. It seemed that everything was getting back to normal. The second he entered the kitchen, he was immediately welcomed by all the staff.

"OUR KEY!"

Even since he had brought Siesta back, the kitchen staff treated him like a hero. Marteau was almost crying in happiness when he saw that Siesta had returned.

Roxas scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, a habit he picked up from Sora. He sat down at the kitchen table and was immediately served a dish of eggs, bacon, and a side of homemade bread. A few of the kitchen staff, including Siesta, joined him before they went back to work. They asked questions too, but they were more along the lines of him retelling the story of his triumphant victory over Mott.

Roxas rarely told the story though because Siesta was always more than happy to give the details, something that Roxas was completely ok with. He did notice that she exaggerated some things though, but he didn't really care. He was just glad he made it in time to save her.

On the topic of Siesta, Roxas was very lucky that she was not on the same boat as Louise and Kirche. Siesta had come into Louise's room one day to deliver some tea when she saw Louise and Kirche were in a heated argument about Roxas and his powers. She saw how annoyed the boy was with the whole situation and decided that she would wait for him to open up instead.

However, that was easier said than done. Her thoughts kept returning to the time at the mansion when she saw his incredible agility and swordsmanship. Not only that, but his ability to summon lightning and teleport only served to increase her curiosity. There were so many questions running through her mind that she didn't even know how to organize them.

But, if there was one thing she learned about Roxas, it was that he was very quiet about his life. In all the time they shared together, she realized that she didn't know anything about the mysterious boy.

Roxas quickly finished breakfast before he took a leftover loaf of bread with him. He left the kitchen to join Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha for a couple of classes.

Right when he exited the doors, he was almost run over by an excited dragon as she charged him. The only thing that stopped her from complexly tackling him in a dragon-like hug was the bread that he held out in his extended hand. It was almost a ritual now. If Roxas exited the kitchen empty handed, Sylphid would bulldoze him over and nearly smother him with affection. Food was a wonderful way to distract the massive beast so he could make his escape.

True, he could use the Corridor of Darkness, but what was the fun in that? Besides, he enjoyed the dragons company.

Sylphid eyed the bread like it was the most important thing in the world to her. Roxas could only give a small laugh as he tossed the entire loaf in the air before he turned around and began to walk away, allowing the dragon to enjoy her after-breakfast snack.

After the whole fiasco with Louise and Kirche questioning him, life was very enjoyable for the nobody. Each day he would eat his meals with Siesta and the rowdy kitchen staff, he would attend a few classes with Louise, where he would be either board out of his mind, or trying to diffuse the conflict between Kirche and Louise.

For some reason, Kirche's actions toward him began to be extremely…clingy. She would choose to sit right next to him during the classes, sometime evens resting her head on his shoulder, or grabbing his leg…something that he really didn't enjoy. When Louise would see this, she would get mad and either threatens him or Kirche. It would end up in a verbal throw down between the two nobles before they would get yelled at by the teachers or even kicked out of class.

After the hectic day was over, Roxas liked to enjoy the sunset with Tabitha and Sylphid. It was a nice way to reminisce about the day, and just think back on all the good times he had with Axel, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Truthfully, he really missed his friends, even though three of the four didn't even know who he was.

Tabitha was the exact same as always. She would arrive on the tower a little after he would and either sit next to him, or lean against her dragon while reading her book. They didn't share many words, but they always greeted each other with a nod. Roxas would make sure to grab some leftovers from the kitchen to feed to Sylphid while they enjoyed the sunset, something that the dragon enjoyed immensely.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Roxas asked. It was the end of another day and Roxas was in Louise's Room, staring at the girl as she sat at her table.

"I need you to preform something for the familiar exhibit."

"And what is a familiar Exhibit?"

Louise gave a sigh, getting use to the fact that she had to explain every little detain about everything to him. "It's a familiar showcase. Basically it gives the chance for nobles to demonstrate the skills of their familiar.

"Hmm" Roxas thought as he adopted a thinking pose. "So it's like a struggle." He said out loud, more to himself as he thought back on the end of the summer struggle tournaments in twilight town. Everyone would watch the strugglers as they demonstrated their skills in the matches.

"A struggle? What is that?" asked Louise.

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked at the petite girl. "It's nothing. So you want me to show off some of my skills in this…Exhibit?"

Louise thought about it for a while before she gave a sigh. "Yes…and no. It would be the shame of my life if other people knew that my familiar was better at magic that I am."

"And why does that matter?"

Louise growled in annoyance, not having the patience to answer him. "It just does! Besides, Princess Henrietta will be there, and I will not make a fool of myself in front of her."

Roxas looked at her curiously. A princess was going to be there? The only princesses he knew of where the princesses of hearts…But then again, considering the social standards of this world, it didn't surprise him that there was a hierarchy. "Who is the princess?"

Louise was massaging her temples before she looked up at him in disbelief. "You Idiot, its Princess Henrietta. The future ruler of Tristain! How could you not even know that?" She exclaimed before she grabbed her hair in frustration. "Why did I have to get such a clueless familiar?"

Roxas nearly rolled his eyes. The reason was quite obvious, but she didn't need to know that yet. "So this princess is going to be there? Ok, so what do you want me to do then?" Roxas asked. He didn't mind doing a little exhibit. He used to participate in the struggles at twilight town, so how would this be any different?

"I don't know! What can you do?"

Roxas blinked a few times. She brought up a very good point. He had only been alive for a few years, and nearly all that time was spent fighting and destroying heartless. He didn't really have anything else that he was really good at besides fighting.

"I don't have a clue." Roxas said honestly.

Louise face-palmed before running her hand down her face in an agitated manner. "Whatever, I need to go to class. I permit you to take the day and think of something you can showcase. You better think of something…or else." She said, letting the threat hang in the air before she turned and left the room

Roxas huffed. What in the world could she do to him? Starve him? Roxas didn't think she even realized that he was going to the kitchen every day for food. Whip him, Yeah…that was not going to work because Roxas had snapped all of her whips again. He was not going to let her whip him like he had some sort of slave fetish.

Roxas shook his head as he left out the door. Truthfully, Louise had mellowed out a great deal in the past few days. She threatened him less and he was able to get at least a decent conversation in with her before things would go sour.

Roxas soon found himself outside, browsing the academy grounds again while he wondered what he could showcase. It didn't really matter to him if he showcased something or not, but it did get him thinking. He really didn't know how to do anything besides fight.

A cool breeze brushed against his face, causing him to smile. It was a gorgeous day out, and it was too irrespirable to not enjoy. So he fell on his back and lay on the ground, placing his hands behind his head. It was nice to relax like this. It wasn't like in the organization where it was nearly dark outside the entire time, the only light coming from the massive Kingdom hearts hanging in the sky. He didn't have to worry about heartless or nobody's.

A shadow flew over him for a brief moment causing him to look up. The only thing he saw was a streak of blue before a large dragon landed in front of him. Roxas raised his head a little as he saw Sylphid sitting there with her head slightly cocked.

Roxas gave her a small smile before he rested his head back on the ground, looking up into the blue sky.

THUMP

"Ooof" Roxas gasped as he felt a heavy weight land on his chest and a pair of green eyes inches away from his own. Sylphid had lain down next to him and planted her head on his chest, purring up a storm.

Roxas looked at her in slight annoyance before he gave a sigh. He reached up and scratched the top of her head, causing her purring to increase dramatically. It almost felt like a massage as it vibrated against his chest.

"Roxas?"

Roxas looked to his other side to see Siesta standing there with a smile on her face. "Hey Siesta."

Siesta gave a small giggle as she saw him pinned to the ground by Sylphid's head. "You two look comfortable."

Roxas gave her a deadpan look before he glanced at dragon, who was cooing in contentment. "That would make one of us." He said before he looked up at her. "Do you want to join?"

Siesta giggled again before she sat on the grass at his other side and gently reaching over to scratch the dragon on the head, causing Sylphid to purr happily at all the attention. "What are you doing out here? Classes are still going on."

"Louise asked me to think of something to show for the Exhibit, but I don't have any ideas."

"Well, you won't think of something while just lying there." Siesta joked.

"I have little say in the matter."

Siesta laughed as she noticed that Sylphid was rubbing her large head against his chest while purring. "I guess you are excused then, but you should hurry and think of something. The Princess will be attending this time."

Roxas glanced over at her. "It really is that big of a deal, huh?"

"It's because she is the princess. She nearly rules this kingdom of Tristian now. It is an honor to be able to impress her."

"Why?"

Siesta paused for a moment, trying to come up with an answer, but nothing really came to mind. "That's…just the way it is."

"...If you say so."

There was a comfortable silence between them before Siesta stood from her place. She dusted off her apron and she turned to the relaxing duo. "Well, I still have some things to do to prepare for the exhibit. Please do your best Roxas, I am sure you will think of something."

"I highly doubt that." Roxas replied with a small smile.

Siesta giggled again before she left. Roxas watched her walk away before he turned his attention to the happy dragon. Something had been bothering him even since the incident with Mott. When he went to save Siesta, no one knew he had left.

No one except for Sylphid.

That begged the question, how did the others find out about it.

"Hey Sylphid?" Roxas started.

Sylphid cracked open her eyes to spare him a glace.

"The day I went to save Siesta, there was no one that knew I left. But somehow, Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha figured it out. You wouldn't happen to know the reason behind that would you?"

Immediately, Roxas felt the Dragons head go ridged against his chest as her eyes widened dramatically. That little gesture spoke volumes to the Nobody.

"So you let Tabitha know, didn't you?" Roxas stated.

The Dragon slumped at having been figured out. She gave a small sorrowful warble before she rubbed her head against his chest, hoping he wasn't angry at her.

Roxas scratched the top of her head. "Well…Truthfully, it was a good thing you did. If they didn't show up, then I don't think things would have gone as well…So thanks girl."

Sylphid's eyes widened slightly before she lifted her head to look down at him. He had his usual smile on his face before he placed his hands behind his head and relaxed on the grass before closing his eyes. He wasn't angry at her. He actually thanked her, even though she basically ratted him out.

Sylphid gave a joyful coo before she once again rested her head on his chest. Roxas really was something else.

* * *

It was a nice nap later before Sylphid was called away by Tabitha so they could practice for the exhibit. The dragon departed with her master, but not before giving Roxas a small lick to his face.

Roxas watched the two disappear before he returned to his thoughts. He still had not come up with anything he could do for the exhibit, but his mind was on a different matter. He noticed that everyone was practicing very hard, especially for this exhibit. And there was only one reason for that.

To impress the Princess.

Truthfully, he knew that Princesses were important. Heck, without the seven princesses of hearts, most of the worlds would have plunged into darkness right about now. And Ansem/Xehanort's heartless was just one princess away from accomplishing that goal. Luckily, Sora was able to stop him and free Kairi's heart. He knew that story very well, after all…

That was how he was created.

But thinking about the princesses of heart, because they were the seven pure lights, they were one of the few things that prevented all of the worlds from plunging into darkness. To have the fate of many worlds resting on your shoulders, that was an enormous responsibility.

Roxas had to wonder, was it the same for this princess? Grant it, she was not a princess of heart, but were her responsibilities enormous like there's? Siesta did say that the princess basically runs this country now.

He himself had a Keyblade, and that was all the responsibility he wanted, but having to look after an entire country, just thinking about it made his shutter.

Or maybe he was overthinking this. Maybe the princess was just like most of the other nobles around here. If that was the case, then he really feared for this country.

* * *

The sun was setting again and Roxas found himself at his usual spot on the tower. Tabitha was reading a book behind him as she leaned against Sylphid. Sylphid was snacking on a few leftovers that Roxas had brought from the kitchen.

"Hey Tabitha?" Roxas asked as he turned to look at her. Tabitha didn't glance up from her book, but Roxas knew she was listening. "People keep saying that the princess will be there tomorrow for the exhibit. Is she like many of the nobles I have met so far?"

Tabitha slowly lowered her book until she met his gaze. She shook her head once. "The princess is very kind to everyone."

"Hmm." Roxas hummed. "That's good to hear. She basically runs the country now, right?"

Tabitha nodded once.

"Well, it is a good thing she is kind then. I wonder what it would be like to run a country."

"It's an enormous responsibility for someone as young as her."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Yeah…I already guessed, but how would you know that?"

Tabitha bit her lower lip slightly before she raised her book, cutting off eye contact with him in the process.

Roxas blinked a few times before he turned back to the sunset. When Tabitha did that, it meant the conversation was over. It was weird when she did that, almost like there was something she wanted to tell him, but just couldn't. He shrugged it off though. If Tabitha wanted to tell him something, she would.

* * *

It was the next day that Roxas found himself standing on the academy grounds with the rest of the student body. They were lining up around the entrance, waiting for the princess's carriage to appear. Roxas had to admit, he was curious about this princess. Would she be anything like the princesses of heart? From what he had learned so far, she was very different than the nobles he had met. Even Louise, who usually talked bad about everyone, would not shut up about how amazing the Princess was. It was almost like she knew her on a personal level.

Soon a pair of carriages came into view. The student started to cheer even before the princess got out of her carriage. But soon, the doors opened and out came a girl with purple hair and a beautiful white dress.

Roxas raised his eyebrows. Tabitha was right, she was very young. And she had to run the entire country by herself?

Roxas continued to watch as the princess gently waved her hand at the passing nobles as they cheered for her. If she was under a lot of pressure, she sure didn't show it. She was smiling and waving elegantly as she made her way into the academy.

Roxas spared a quick glance at Louise. Louise was looking at the princess with a gentle smile and a peaceful expression on her face. It was so different than the haughty look she would usually ware. He could tell that she really admired this person.

* * *

Roxas inhaled the cool night air as he walked across the academy grounds. He had just finished watching the sunset, but stayed out a bit longer in order to enjoy the sight of the two moons in the sky. The cooling night air was also a pleasant touch on his skin. It was times like this that he really enjoyed being alive. It was the kind of life he always wanted. Even when he was a member of the organization, he envied Hayner, Pence, and Olette because they lived the simple life.

That was something that he wanted as well, but never had the chance until Louise accidentally summoned him. Sure there were a few bumps in the road, but for the most part, life was very enjoyable for the nobody.

Suddenly, a swift motion caught his attention. He looked ahead at the academy entrance to see a hooded figure dash through the opening. Roxas narrowed his eyes. It was very rare that he would see someone out this late besides Tabitha. And when he did, none of them would wear a hood and a cloak.

Silently, Roxas took off after the hooded stranger. He entered the academy before he saw the hem of a cloak disappear up a staircase. Roxas quickly chased after before he saw the stranger peak around the corner of a hallway to make sure no one was there before continuing.

That was really suspicious. Who was this person?

Seeing that no one was around, Roxas decided to make his move. Quickly, he summoned the oblivion before disappearing into a corridor of darkness.

* * *

Henrietta was exited. She had snuck out of her room and was easily making her way through the academy to see her childhood friend. Agnes would be very upset, but the princess needed this. She was very excited to see Louise after all these years. She missed her friend dearly. She missed all the fun times they shared together as kids, and there continuing friendship today. She, along with Whales, where some of the only people she could rely on since her father had passed away.

Sure her mother was there to support her ever so often, but for the most part, Henrietta had to do everything herself.

And that was very difficult.

She was walking through the halls of the academy, almost shaking in anticipation at seeing her friend again. Suddenly a pillar of darkness erupted in front of her, causing her to yelp and jump back with her wand out. A figure appeared as the darkness vanished. It was a young man with spiky, golden hair. His eyes were crystal blue and in his hands was a dark weapon. He was crouched down in a battle stance that just screamed attack.

Instantly Henrietta raised her wand in warning to stop the boy in front of her. Her eyes were wide in shock at his sudden appearance. Where in the world had he come from? Why was he about to attack her?

…

Well… Truthfully, she did look a little suspicious.

"Who are you?" The boy questioned.

Henrietta blinked a few times as she heard his question. Immediately, she lowered her wand and raised her arms in the air as a peaceful gesture. "Please don't worry; I am not here to attack anyone?"

"And how do I know that? Who are you?"

Henrietta lowered her head to make sure her face was still covered by the hood. "I-I am just looking for a friend of mine. I mean no harm."

The boy in front of her didn't budge a muscle. "If you are looking for someone, why are you in a disguise?"

Henrietta bit her lower lip. She really didn't want to revel who she was to a complete stranger. She didn't have any bodyguards around her at the moment, and this youth looked like he knew how to handle himself in a fight.

"Its just-It's hard to travel without a disguise. I-I don't know who I would run into. Please, I just want to see my friend." She said, almost desperately.

Henrietta could feel a few tears begin to form in her eyes. This was not how tonight was supposed to go. All she wanted to do was visit a friend that she had not seen in a long time, and now she may have found herself in a predicament. What was she going to do?

* * *

Roxas stared at the hooded figure in front of him. Just listening to the voice, he could tell this person was a girl. She was suspicious on all accounts, however…the tone of voice she used when she stated her purpose was…oddly familiar. Whoever this person wanted to see, she wanted to see badly. It nearly reminded him of Axel's determination to see him again simply because they were friends. Was this person the same?

"Who are you looking for?" Roxas asked, still in his battle stance, just in case she tried anything.

He saw the hooded girl look up slightly so he could see the lower half of her face. Her mouth was slightly open. "It's a good friend of mine; you might know her as Louise."

Roxas continued to stare at the hooded girl for a while before he slowly relaxed his stance. However he did not dismiss his weapon. "I know who Louise is. If you want to see her, then I can take you…But" He said as he pointed his weapon at her. "If you try anything, I will not stand by and watch."

He saw the girl's mouth open slightly for a second before it morphed into a smile. She nodded her head before she walked up besides Roxas. Roxas stiffened slightly, but led her through the hallways.

* * *

Henrietta found herself walking next to the boy who had nearly threatened her. She was shocked that he suddenly changed his mind and was now leading her to Louise's room…How did he even know where her room was anyway?

Stealing a few glances as they walked, Henrietta took note of a few things about this boy. He was barely taller than her, but held himself like a seasoned warrior. Even though he was not in a battle stance, his body was ridged, ready to move at the smallest sign of hostility. Her eyes traveled to the dark weapon in his hand. Never had she seen a weapon like that before. It had an ominous feeling to it, and the boy held it like it was natural part of his body.

Again, she looked up at his face. He was indeed handsome. He had a determined look in his eyes that clearly told people not to mess with him. Just who was this boy? Was he a student at the academy? What kind of magic had he used in order to appear in front of her?

"Why are you sneaking around at night? If you wanted to see Louise, then you could have just walked to her room."

Henrietta was pulled from her thoughts as she heard his question. She lowered her head again before clearing her throat. "Because of my status, it is difficult to move alone."

"Your status?"

She nodded before she turned to him. "What about you? Why are you up so late?"

Henrietta saw the boy scratch the back of his head with his free hand. "I was trying to think of something to do for the exhibit tomorrow."

Henrietta raised an eyebrow. "You're a noble then? What kind of familiar do you have?"

She saw the boy shake his head. "I am not a noble, I am a familiar. Louise's familiar specifically."

…

Henrietta felt her eyes widen as she looked up at the boy. She remembered the report of Count Mott from Professor Colbert's letter, and then the witnesses of the girls in his basement. How one person had broken into the Counts estate, beat all of the guards, and defeated the Count himself. This was that person. The familiar of one of her closest friends. And she was walking right beside him. "You're a familiar?"

The boy nodded, but didn't pay any attention to her reactions. "Yeah, and Louise asked if I could perform something because the princess would be attending the exhibit. She wanted to do something to impress her, but truthfully, I don't know how to do much except for fight."

Henrietta continued to listen to the familiar before she felt herself frown a bit. Even Louise wanted to do something extravagant to impress her. While she was flattered, Henrietta could not help but feel a little downtrodden as well. She and Louise had been friends for a long time, but now Louise felt the need to impress her? Did Louise still see them as friends? Or did she see her as just another figure head that needed to be impressed for the sake of honor?

"What about you? What are your thoughts towards the princess?" Asked Henrietta before she looked at him.

The boy shrugged. "Honestly…I don't know. I would not want to be in her shoes, that's for sure."

…

Henrietta blinked a few times. "What?"

She saw the boy shaking his head. "She has to run an entire country by herself. I have seen other princesses before and the burden they carry. I don't think that would be something I could handle."

Henrietta felt her mouth drop open slightly. He was right on the money about that. The amount of pressure she was under because she had a country to run now that her mother had stepped down, No one could understand that kind of stress. Most people would give everything to be in her shoes, but they didn't understand the responsibility that it came with. They really didn't understand that an entire country depended on you and there are very few people you can rely on.

However, she was standing next to someone that actually understood that.

* * *

It didn't take long before Roxas and the stranger were standing in front of Louise's Room. He still had his guard up around this person, but she seemed harmless, plus he was curious as to whom this person was and how she knew Louise.

Gently he pushed open the door and entered, along with the stranger.

Louise was stretching her arms towards the sky, already dressed in her sleepwear before she noticed that Roxas had entered her room, followed by a hooded figure. There was a brief silence for a while before Louise shot Roxas an annoyed look.

"Roxas, who is this?"

"Louise!" The figure cried before she flung off her hood and dashed past Roxas. Both Roxas and Louise were too confused to react before the stranger engulfed Louise in a hug. "I missed you so much!"

"Princess! Why are you here? You shouldn't' come to places that are beneath you." Louise said as she gently pushed the Princess away and knelt down.

Roxas blinked a few times as he recognized the face of the princess. What in the world was she doing here? How did she know Louise?

Henrietta looked a little hurt before she covered it with a smile. "Please don't do that Louise. You are my childhood friend. Rise to your feet and let me look at you."

Louise looked up for her spot before she stood; a gentle smile crossed her features. "It's good to see you Princess."

"Louise, please call me Henrietta."

"I could never"

Henrietta scrunched her eyebrows briefly before smiling again. "I insist. You're one of the only ones I can talk to freely since my father passed away."

Louise gave a small blush before she smiled at the princess as well. "I was really surprised to get your letters Henrietta. I thought you would have forgotten me."

Henrietta shook her head before she hugged Louise again. "Of course I wouldn't forget you." She said before she glanced over at Roxas. "I have to admit, my curiosity was peaked when I heard about your recent endeavors with Count Mott."

Louise lowered her gaze slightly as she remembered the incident. She was still having nightmares because of it. "You heard about that?"

Henrietta nodded. "Professor Colbert wrote us the letter and explained the full extent of Count Mott's crimes. I assure you that his punishment was most severe."

"Good." Roxas said as he crossed his arms. Just thinking about that man got him slightly riled up. He really wished he could have ended the man, but it seemed like he got what he deserved.

Louise suddenly remembered that Roxas was there. She glared at him before she stormed passed the princess and grasped the front of his robe, trying to force him to his knees. Roxas however refused to budge. Eventually, Louise gave up and turned back to the queen. "I am sorry about my Familiar. He is very stubborn." She said before she shot him another glare.

Henrietta laughed into her hand. "I don't mind Louise. I actually find it refreshing that I can speak to someone who doesn't have their face to the floor."

Louise blushed in embarrassment before she realized something. She glared at Roxas again. "Why were you with the princess before you got to my room?"

"I saw her entering the academy. She was wearing a disguise, to I confronted her. When she told me she knew you, I brought her here." Roxas said simply.

Louise's face paled in horror. "You threatened the princess?!" She exclaimed before she turned to Henrietta and fell to the ground again. "I am so sorry for this your highness, I will take any punishment in order to make us for my familiar's actions."

Henrietta giggled against into her hand. "Worry not Louise. Roxas was just looking after you. I actually admire that." She said before she turned to Roxas. "You know, it's not every day that a Commoner defeats a tringle class mage."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Professor Colbert didn't go into much detail, but I am curious about your abilities. When you confronted me, you seemed to appear out of nowhere. Is that a special ability you have?"

"Yes."

There was silence for a little while, almost as if Henrietta and Louise were expecting him to say something more, but all they were met with was silence. Finally, Louise gave a growl. "I am sorry you Highness, but even I have not been able to learn anything else about his ability's. He is very secretive about them." She said before she threw Roxas another glare.

"Oh?" Henrietta said before she turned to Roxas again. "And why is that? Why don't you tell us about your abilities?"

"What's the point?"

Louise and Henrietta stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"What's the point if you know what my abilities are or not? I use them to protect the people I care about. I fight for my friends. So why does it matter what I can do?"

Louise and Henrietta continued to stare at him, creating an awkward silence between them. It was Henrietta who broke out of her stupor first. She smiled at him. "Well, if that is the case, then I won't worry about it. I am glad you use your unique abilities to protect people. If more people were like you then less people would end up like those girls you saved." She commented.

Roxas thought back on his interactions with the traumatized women. The horrifying looks in their eyes still sent chills down his spine. "Are they going to be alright?"

"Eventually. They are still very scared of men, but they are slowly recovering."

Roxas gave a small sigh of relief. "I'm glade." He said. "Thank you for helping them, even though they are commoners."

Henrietta looked a little confused. "What do you mean? Of course I would help them. Why would them being commoners have anything to do with it?"

…

With that statement, Roxas narrowed his eyes before he glanced at Louise. She was a little pale when she began to see where this conversation was going.

"Ever since I was summoned, I have noticed how the Nobles would treat the commoners. It seemed like they only saw them as something expendable…Or even replaceable."

Henrietta felt her eyes widen slightly. "They do?"

"UMM!" Louise suddenly interrupted, causing Roxas and Henrietta to look at her. She was sweating slightly as she looked between Roxas and Henrietta. She really didn't like where this conversation was going. She knew that the Princess was extremely kind to Commoners and Nobles alike. If the princess found out what she said about Siesta…Louise didn't even want to think about it. "We all worked very hard to help those girls in Count Mott's estate. I am glad they are doing better as well."

Roxas stared at her for the longest time, making Louise feel very uncomfortable.

Henrietta beamed before she clasped Louise's hands. "That is wonderful Louise. I am just glad to see that you don't view Commoners like most nobles do. Most nobles forget that is it the duty of a mage to protect them. That is why we are blessed by the founder. Commoners are the very foundation of our society and without them, we would be nothing."

Louise looked down slightly. There was no way she could meet the Princesses gaze after she said that.

Henrietta didn't seem to notice as she turned back to Roxas. She noticed that there was a frown on his face, but she didn't bring it up. "You seem like the person that will do anything for your friends, so will you continue to protect Louise?"

Roxas looked at Louise. Their eyes met briefly before she turned her gaze away from him. "I'll protect her Henrietta." He forced out.

Henrietta beamed again before she released Louise's hands and walked over to the door. "That's good to hear. Louise is a precious friend of mine, so please look after her." She said before she flipped on her hood. "I have to go now. If I am gone any longer, Agnes may notice. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow Louise. And you too Roxas."

Roxas only nodded before he saw Henriette walk out the door.

There was an incredibly awkward silence for a while between Roxas and Louise. Roxas had a deep frown on his face as the conversation between the three of them replayed through his mind.

"Roxas…"

"You lied to her."

Louise immediately quieted down as he slowly turned to face her. "She said it was the duty of the noble to protect commoners, if that is the case, then why didn't you help Siesta? Why was she in any danger at all?"

"I-I" Louise stuttered.

"You are no different than Count Mott. You said that Siesta was a nobody, something that they could just replace if she died. Tell me, what would the Princess think if she knew that?"

Louise looked up at Roxas in horror. If the princess knew of her mentality toward commoners…again, she didn't want to even think about how the princess would react. "I-Its different now."

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "Oh really? How is it different?"

Louise bit her lower lip as she remembered her nightmares. "Ever since I saw what was down in Count Mott's basement, I could not get the image out of my head. I have been having nightmares about it…" She staid before she lowered her gaze towards the ground. "I questioned why Count Mott had been able to get away with it for so long, but I already knew the answer." She said before she looked up at Roxas with her eyebrows scrunched. "It was because they were commoners. They had to endure all of that just because they were commoners."

"Yeah. They did." Roxas said before he turned and walked to the door. "They didn't deserve something like that. They were supposed to be protected by the nobles according to the Princess herself." He said before he turned to Louise

Louise could only cringe at the look he was giving her.

"But you, along with most of the nobles here, fail to live up to that. You only see commoners as expendable. You don't even care about what happens to them. And you even lied to the princess because you don't want her to feel disappointed in you. You know what…I am not even going to tell her because you are just not worth it." He said before he clasped the doorknob with his hand. "You truly are a monster."

Louise watched as Roxas left through the door, her mouth hanging open. That was the second time that she had heard Roxas say that to her, though this time, it hurt a lot more. Slowly, Louise bit her lower lip as tears started to fall down her face. The one thing she didn't want to happen had just happened. It wasn't because she was bad at magic, nor was it because she was mean to him. No, it had happened because of how she treated others that were below her status.

Her familiar was ashamed of her.

Louise fell to her knees as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

* * *

Roxas was furious. He could not believe what he had just learned. It was the noble's responsibility to protect commoners? If that were so, then why did Count Mott do what he did? Why did Guiche try and kill Siesta? Why did Louise not care if siesta died?

The last straw was when Louise lied to the princess. It was obvious that the princess understood her role as a noble. Even with the brief conversation in the academy halls, Roxas had felt comfortable around her, even when she was wearing a disguise.

Roxas stormed out of the academy. There was no way he was sleeping in Louis's room that night. Just thinking about her got him riled up. He needed some cool air to calm his heated anger.

* * *

It was the next day that everyone was gathered together to watch the familiars preform with their masters. The tense atmosphere between Roxas and Louise could be cut with a knife. They had not spoken a word to each other since the other night. Roxas even refused to make eye-contact with the girl because he was still not over his anger.

Finally, after a number of performances from the other familiars, it was time for Roxas and Louise to take the stage. Louise was especially nervous because she didn't know what Roxas would do. If he was still angry from the other night, he could easily do something that would either embarrass her, or completely shame her. She watched as Roxas moved onto the stage, nervously biting her lower lip in the process.

Roxas entered the stage and looked around at the crowd. They all waited in anticipation for him to do, or say something. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"My name is Roxas. I am Louise's familiar." He said before he turned around and left the stage.

The entire audience blinked a few times before a murmur ran through the stands. There was neither cheering nor laughter, but a steady whisper fell through the crowd.

 _A Human familiar?_

 _Is he not going to preform anything?_

 _I have never heard of a human being summoned before._

 _Well, that was a waste of time._

Louise stood there and watched as Roxas left the stage and walked right past her, not even sparing her a glance. Truthfully, she didn't know if she wanted to be upset with him, or be relieved that he didn't do anything more to embarrass her. She was leaning more towards the latter than anything though. He could have easily showed off his magical abilities, thus showing that he was much more talented at magic than her, and completely shaming her in the process. But no, he just simply introduced himself and left the stage.

After how last night went, Louise chose to be satisfied with that. However, this could not go on. She could not stand the atmosphere between them any longer.

* * *

"The winner goes to TABITHA!"

Roxas stood among the crowd with a small smile as he saw two of his friends win the competition. Tabitha had her usual expression on her face, but Sylphid looked like she was soaking in the attention. He watched as Princess Henrietta personally approached the duo and congratulated them.

Suddenly, Roxas noticed that a certain pink-haired girl was approaching him with a determined look on her face. Roxas's eyes narrowed before he turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction. He really didn't want to deal with Louise right now. He didn't care if he didn't perform something, and truthfully, she didn't even deserve it.

Louise saw Roxas starting to walk away from her, so she picked up the pace. She stormed forward until she reached his side and grasped the sleeve of his coat.

"Roxas, Stop!" she commanded.

Roxas tore his sleeve out of her grasp. "What do you want now?"

Louise placed her hands on her hips and tried to look a bit imposing. "We need to talk about this."

"There is nothing to talk about." Roxas said back before he turned away from her. "You, and the rest of the nobles are supposed to protect the commoners, but you don't because you see them as below you. You don't care about what happens to them." Roxas started to walk away again before Louise grabbed his arm.

"Your right, I didn't care about what happened to them." She started.

"See, now that the princess isn't around, you admit-"

"But it's different now."

…

Roxas narrowed his eyes at her. "It's different now?" He said before he scoffed. "And how is it different?"

Louise bit her lower lip. "I began to explain it to you yesterday. Ever since I saw those girls down in count Motts basement, I could not get the image out of my head. I have been having nightmares about it." She said before she lowered her gaze. "I-I never realized what it would have been like if I were in there place. If I had not been born of nobility, would I have gone through the same thing?"

Roxas stared at the pink-haired girl as she continued to talk.

"I realized that the only reason that count Mott was able to get away with that was because they were commoners."

"So what?"

Louise looked up at him. "What do you mean so what?"

Roxas shook his head. "So you realized that they were treated this way because they were commoners. So what? What does that change? If you knew about it, would you do anything to stop it?"

"I-I"

Roxas shook his head. "Forget it."

He was about to walk away again before the ground started to rumble. Roxas looked down only to notice that the ground was starting to crack below his feet. His eyes widened before he turned to Louise and scooped her off of her feet before dashed away from the area.

Immediately, a massive figure erupted from the earth right where they were standing. The figure continued to rise until it was about the size of a Dark side heartless. The massive creature was made completely of rock. As it continued to rise, fragments of earth and dust would cascade down its body.

Roxas placed Louise on the ground, completely ignoring her shocked look before he faced the colossal giant. What in the world was this? Was it the work of a student?

Suddenly, a hooded figure appeared on the head of the golem. It pointed its hand to the side of the academy tower. Immediately, the golem turned toward the wall and drew back its fist. With one motion, it slammed its hand into the side only for a magical field to repel the giant.

Apparently, Roxas and Louise were not the only ones that witnessed this massive creature. The rest of the audience was looking fearfully at the golem as well. Right when the golem smashed into the academy, people started to scream in panic.

"It's Fouquet!"

"She's trying to break into the treasury! Stop her."

A few of the courageous students immediately started to chant spells. Balls of flame sprung forth from there wands and collided with the golem, however, they were easily brushed off.

Henrietta rushed forward with her staff out before she turned to her guards. "Stop Fouquet. She must not break into the treasury!"

Her guard nodded before turning to the other guards. "Musketeers, you heard her. Attack!"

Immediately, the guards rushed forwards with their swords and pistols before they open fired on the hooded Fouquet. Fouquet simply raised a wall of dirt to protect her from the onslaught of bullets. Her golem was not even phased by the firearms as it raised its massive, earthy fist and slammed it down towards the musketeers.

Immediately, they scattered to get a better anger on the thief, however, in the process, they completely left the princess unattended.

Fouquet smirked before she chanted a small spell. Immediately, the golem raised its first again and turned toward Henrietta. Everyone gasped as they saw what the thief was trying to do. She was actually going to kill the princess of Tristain.

With a quick motion, Fouquet brought her wand down, and with it, the golem's fist plunged towards the exposed princess.

Roxas's eyes widened before he immediately disappeared in a corridor of darkness.

Henrietta could only look up helplessly as the giant fist descended upon her. Immediately, she closed her eyes, waiting for the colossal creature to crush her. Suddenly, she felt something grab her around the waist from behind and she was roughly tugged backwards.

The massive fist smashed into the ground where the princess was standing. Dirt and dust flew in all directions as the first buried itself into the earth. Everyone was watching with their mouths dropped open in horror. They princess had just been killed right before there very eyes.

"PRINCESS HENRETTA!" Agnes screamed as she watched the earth golem lift its giant fist. Chunks of earth fell from the hand as it continued to rise. The dust soon settled over the crater that the golem had made, but there was no sign of the dead princess. No body, no blood, not even a speck of torn clothing.

Suddenly, coughing was heard from amidst the dirt cloud. Slowly, the dust began to settle, reveling two figures.

Agnes gasped as she saw the princess as one of those figures. She was on her hands and knees, gasping for breath, but she was alive. The other figure was…Louise's familiar.

Agnes stared at Roxas for a second before she looked back to Louise's side where she saw him last. She then looked back at him. Somehow, he had managed to move all the way over there and tackle Henrietta out of the way. How?

Henrietta was gasping for breath, having the wind knocked out of her from being jerked back by whatever had grabbed her. Her stomach was sore, but at least she was alive. She slowly looked up to see her savior.

…

Her eyes widened slightly as she saw the same man that had caught her last night. Louise's familiar.

"Roxas?" She gasped out.

Roxas had his teeth clenched as he looked up at the massive golem. Whoever this person was, they were going to pay for this. He glanced down at the princess, who was still a little winded, but slowly making her way to her feet.

"Henrietta, I will hold him off. You organize your guards." He said before he stepped forward.

Henrietta only watched wordlessly as Roxas stared down the golem with the famous thief perched on top. How in the word did he plan to take on something like that? Is should be impossible, no matter how good of a swordsman you were.

Roxas paid her no mind as he whipped his right hand across his body. Immediately, the oblivion flashed into existence. He was not done though. Whipping his left hand next, the white Oathkeeper burst forth in all its glory. Roxas spun the two weapons in his hands before making them clash with each other. Small sparks shot of the end as he got into his signature dual wielding stance.

"He has two of those?" Kirche asked in disbelief as she stood by Tabitha and watched Roxas stare down the thief.

Kirche was not the only one that was surprised. Louise was also watching with wide eyes as she gazed upon the second weapon. This one seemed like the polar opposite to the weapon he always uses. While the black weapon was dark and ominous, this one was pure white and inviting. However, in the hands of Roxas, it was obvious that this weapon was meant to be used for battle.

Fouquet was just as surprised as everyone to see that the princess was alright. She was even more surprised to see that the boy who had saved her actually had the balls to fight her directly, even with her golem. He held no fear in his eyes as he readied his stance. The two weapons in his hands were very unique, but they were not going to save him today. She was going to get what she came for.

Roxas suddenly crouched down and shot towards the golem, surprising Fouquet at the speed of his movement. However, the thief was quick to react as she flicked her wand. Immediately, the massive creature plummeted its fist down at Roxas. Roxas simply jumped back right before the fist could make contact, causing the hand to crash into the ground in front of him. He quickly jumped on the arm of the golem and began to sprint up it, heading straight for the thief.

Fouquet adopted a look of surprised before she waved her wand at him. Jagged pieces of the golem's body broke away before they shot at Roxas.

Roxas retaliated by slashing the first rock with his oblivion, then he whipped his Oathkeeper around and destroyed the next. He continued to exchange slashes between his two keyblades as he pressed forwards, not even slowing down his pace as he progressed towards her.

Fouquet didn't expect this. She thought that at least one spike would make it through his defense, but he was still pressing forward easily. It seemed that bigger measures were in order. She waited until he was close enough before she whipped her wand at him and changed as spell.

Suddenly, a massive spike of earth erupted from the body of the golem behind Fouquet. It aimed itself at Roxas before Fouquet launched it.

Roxas saw the massive piece of earth heading his way before he raised his Oathkeeper. "Reflect." Immediately, a dome of light appeared around Keyblade wielder. The massive earth spike hit the barrier, causing the shield to shatter into fragments of light.

Fouquet was about to laugh at the weakness of the shield spell until the particles of light erupted into small explosions. Major pieces of her golem broke before she was also hit with one of the blasts. She stumbled backwards, only to see Roxas shoot right at her. Thinking quickly, she waved her wand right when Roxas swung the oblivion at her. A wall of earth separated them, causing Roxas's weapon to collide with it. Fouquet used this to her advantage to get some distance between them.

Roxas swung his other Keyblade against the wall before it smashed into pieces. The wall crumbled to revile Fouquet standing on the outstretched arm of the golem, quickly chanting a spell. Before Roxas could even make a move, a dust cloud erupted from the top of the golem, complexly obscuring Roxas's view.

Roxas winced as a bit of dust hit him in the eye. He was about to dash out of the cloud before a massive hand appeared in front him and grabbed him from off the golem's head, enclosing its fingers around his body to ensure that he didn't escape.

There was a gasp through the crowd as they watched Roxas get captured by the massive hand. Roxas winced a bit as the fingers slowly enclosed around him in an attempt to crush him to death. He was just about to open a corridor of darkness when he saw a pink-haired girl quickly making her way towards them.

"ROXAS!" shouted Louise as she approached the giant.

"Louise, STAY BACK! RUN!" Roxas shouted as he readied his corridor.

Louise completely ignored him before she raised her wand. "FIREBALL!"

The wispy darkness was just starting to form before Roxas was hit with an enormous amount of pain. The fist that was holding him, along with a huge part of the academy tower, exploded. But that was not the only problem. A small portion of that blast hit Roxas directly in the face.

Blood started to leak down his head as he felt his vision start to fade. The corridor of darkness disappeared before he had the chance to use it. Soon, he hung limply in the hand of the golem, completely knocked unconscious from the accidental blast.

Fouquet blinked a few times as she looked between Louise, the broken academy wall, then to the limp Roxas in the hand of her golem. She could not believe how lucky she had gotten. She was about to cast a spell at the broken wall before a glimmer of blue caught her attention. She turned to see a dragon and its master racing towards them. She gave a small smirk before she looked over to the unconscious Roxas, still in her golem's hand.

With a quick movement of her wand, the golem reached back and threw Roxas in the opposite direction. Just as she suspected, the dragon complexly diverted its attention and sped after the falling body. Immediately, Fouquet waved her wand again before her golem smashed its fist into the academy wall. Instead of being repelled like last time, the hand smashed right through, giving her easy access to whatever she needed.

Sylphid and Tabitha raced towards the falling Roxas. He was plummeting fast, so they went into a nosedive. He was just about to hit the ground before Sylphid extended her hands and caught the limp body. Immediately, she held him close, scared to death that she nearly lost him.

It only took a second for Fouquet to race into the treasury and exit with a small case in her arms. She grinned down at the nobles, more specifically the one noble that made it possible. "Thanks for your help Louise; I couldn't have done it without you." She yelled as her golem began to step over the outer walls of the academy. She suddenly had to duck as the musketeers began to open fire, but by this time it was too late.

"AFTER HER!" Agnes shouted to the musketeers. They immediately started to move toward the exit in hope of catching the thief.

Tabitha and Sylphid landed on the ground before gently laying Roxas down. His face was covered in blood and his breaths were coming out in short, painful gasps. Tabitha jumped down from Sylphid before kneeling down next to the nobody. He looked worse for wars, but it didn't look like he was going to die.

"ROXAS!"

Tabitha looked over to see Louise, Kirche, Henrietta, and Siesta running towards her. Once they were close enough to see, they could only gasp in horror. It actually looked a lot worse than it was because there was a lot of blood seeping from the cuts on his head.

"Is he ok?" Asked Louise shakily. She could not believe what she just did. She was just trying to help her familiar escape, but she accidentally blew him up as well.

Tabitha gave a single nod, causing Louise to sigh in relief.

Kirche however was furious. "What were you thinking Louise? You nearly killed your familiar!"

Louise bit her lower lip. "I just made a little mistake. I didn't mean to." She said as she diverted her eyes.

"Tsk." Kirche said before looking to Tabitha. "Can you wake him up? His healing spell should be enough to fix this."

Louise whirled around, looking at her with wide eyes. "Healing Spell? What are you talking about?"

Tabitha nodded before she waved her staff above Roxas's head. Immediately he gasped as his eyes shot open. Immediately, he groaned in pain before he raised his right hand.

"Cura."

Suddenly, he was enveloped in a mass of green light. All that had witnessed could only watch in amazement as the cuts began to heal. The bleeding immediately stopped as the wounds suddenly vanished.

One green hue of light faded, Roxas slowly sat up. His face felt like it had been smashed by Lexaeus tomahawk, and that was saying something. His mind was still a little fuzzy, but there was no permanent damage thankfully.

"Roxas!" Roxas suddenly felt two arms around his neck and a force hit his chest. He nearly fell back down, but managed to hold himself up with his arms. He looked down to see that Siesta had thrown herself on him in worry. She then pulled back before taking a rag out of her apron and wiping some of the blood off his face. "Are you ok?" she asked as she examined his head.

Roxas froze for a second as siesta continued to wipe the blood off. He blinked a few times before giving her a small smile. "I will be. Thanks Siesta." He said before he turned to the rest of the crowd. "What happened?"

"Fouquet got away before I could organize an attack." Henrietta said sadly.

Roxas frowned. "I see. So I wasn't able to stop him long enough."

Kirche narrowed her eyes. "It wasn't exactly your fault. You were doing fine until Louise blew you up."

"It was just a mistake. I was trying to help!"

"Stop fighting! What's done it done?" Henrietta said as she approached Roxas. She was staring at him, not really knowing if she wanted to question him about his insane abilities, or thank him. After seeing all that he went through today, she decided on the latter. "Thank you for saving me. This battle could have been a lot worse had you not been there." She said with a smile.

Roxas blinked a few times. "Umm…You're welcome." He said, giving her a small smile. "We may not have known each other for that long, but…I feel like we are already friends." He then narrowed his eyes. "And I will not let my friends disappear again."

The people in the current vicinity gave him curious looks, especially from Kirche, Siesta, Louise, and Tabitha. It was very rare that Roxas ever said anything about his past. He would give a few hints here and there, but not much more than that.

Henrietta beamed. "Of course. You are my best friend's familiar, and you said you would protect her. So naturally we are friends. Thank you Roxas." She said before she was ambushed by a fussing Agnes, making sure that there were no injuries on the princess.

Roxas gave a small laugh as he felt the wet rag on his face again. He raised an eyebrow as he turned back to Siesta. She gave him a worried smile as she gently washed the blood off his face before standing up, allowing Roxas to shakily stand on his feet as well. His mind was still a bit fuzzy from that explosion.

He was almost knocked over again through as he was wrapped up in a hug by Kirche. "Roxas darling. That was amazing. You went one on one with Fouquet and her golem. You even had two of those weapons. Why didn't you tell us about that?" She said as she pulled away to look him in the eyes, a small pout forming on her face.

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion before he gently pushed her away. "Because it doesn't matter."

Kirche giggled into her hand. "I suppose not." She said, already use to these kinds of answers. However, that did not stop her growing curiosity. She would find out more about the mysterious boy one way or another.

"Your name is Roxas?" Roxas turned to see the head guard approaching him. She was a little taller than he was and had a very stern expression on her face. She had blond hair that was a shade darker than Namine's. "My name is Agnes." She said before she gave a small bow. "Thank you for saving the life of the Princess. If I hadn't of left her alone…"

"Don't worry about it. It was nothing." Roxas replied simply, not liking the amount of attention he was getting.

"It was definitely not nothing. This country would fall into chaos without her highness." She said sternly. "Whoever Fouquet is, she is going to pay for what she did. I swear it." Agnes then turned and walked back to the princess before they both left for the academy.

Roxas watched as they departed. He was right about Henrietta. She really did have the weight of the entire country on her shoulders. That was definitely not an easy burden to bear.

"Roxas." Louise started.

"Not now Louise." Roxas said as he stared to shakily walk away. He was nearly followed by Siesta, but he held up a hand to stop her. "I need some time alone…Don't worry, I will be fine." He said as he caught the worried expression on her face. He gave her one more comforting smile before he turned and walked away.

Kirche, Tabitha, Louise, and siesta watched as before he disappeared from sight. Once he was gone, Kirche turned to Louise with a frown on her face. "You really need to control your explosions Louise."

Instead of getting riled up like she usually did, Louise actually lowered her head a bit. "I know. I just wanted to help, but I just messed it up again, like I always do." She said. She tried to hold back the tears, but they would not stop this time. Why was she so bad at magic? What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she do anything right?

Kirche looked at Louise with wide eyes. She had never seen the girl so vulnerable in her entire life. She expected Louise to give a hot-headed retort like she usually did, but it seemed that even Louise had her limits.

Suddenly, Kirche's expression softened. "Louise, would you like to talk about it?"

Louise shot her gaze up at her rival, not even caring that tears stained her cheeks. "What? Why?"

Kirche gave a small sigh. "Because…it just seems like you need someone to talk to right now." She said before she caught the look Louise was giving her. "Don't give me that look, I am not completely evil. So do you want to talk about it, or not?"

Louise lowered her head before she sniffed a little. "Yeah, that would be nice."

Kirche nodded before she turned to Siesta, who was watching the whole scene with wide eyes. It seemed she also did not expect this from someone like Louise either. "Can you bring us some tea?"

* * *

It was later that night that Roxas was out washing the blood from off his coat. He really didn't want to walk around with blood everywhere on it. He also needed time to think. Ever since he got here, there have been a lot of people that have come into his life.

People he considered friends.

People he wanted to protect.

Today, Henrietta nearly lost her life, and he was rendered unconscious in the middle of a battle. If someone had died while he was unconscious…Roxas didn't even want to think about it. The more people he met, the more people he wanted to protect. But how could he protect them all? He definitely needed more strength.

Giving a sigh, Roxas looked up into the starry sky. "What would you do Sora? How would you gain strength to protect the people you care about?"

Suddenly, Roxas winced as a searing pain passed through his skull. He dropped his coat as memories began to flash through his head.

 _"_ _Now those aren't ordinary garments."_

 _"_ _They have very special powers."_

 _"_ _Take the orb dear."_

As soon as the memories came, they were gone again. Roxas shook his head as the pain went away. What was that about? Roxas reached down and grabbed his fallen coat.

Suddenly, and arc of red electricity shot down his hand to the coat. Instantly, his coat, along with the rest of his clothing flashed dark read for a brief moment before returning to its usual black. Roxas's eyes widened as he continued to hold the coat in his fist. He paused for a few seconds, waiting for it to happen again, but it didn't. He didn't need to see it again though. He knew what it was.

"Drive." Roxas whispered as her remembered Sora's drive abilities. He gave a small chuckle before he looked up into the sky again. "It seems I learned a few things while I was a part of you, Sora." He said before he clenched the coat in his fist. "I may be able to protect them after all."

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yeah, this chapter took a bit longer to get out, but it is quite a bit longer in length. I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review with your thoughts. You could see in this chapter that Louise's personality is changing slightly. I won't give much away though, as you will just have to read and find out. Anyway, how did I do? Like I said before, my rough draft was so bad that I only used the key ideas out of it. That means it takes a very long time to edit. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please look forward to the next update.**

 **Until then, Later!**


	7. Chapter 7: Forgiveness

**Authors Note: Hey everyone. Thanks again for your reviews. They really brighten up my day.**

 **Anyway, this chapter was a BEAST to write, but i did it. It took quite a bit of thought, and some of the scenes could have been better, but I really tried my best. I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **"** **Whew" another 10K chapter. Geeze. When I edit my rough draft, I just go ham because there is so much detail that needs to be added. I easily doubled my word count from the first draft.**

 **Anyway, please enjoy.**

 **Warning: Spelling…Nuf said.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 7

Louise walked out of Kirche's room after a long talk. It was late in the night, and she was exhausted, emotionally, physically, and mentally. However, there was one thing she had to admit.

She…really did feel better.

Who knew that Kirche, the person who had tormented her since day one, could be so personable? In all the time they had shared at the academy, Louise had envisioned Kirche to just be some flirty slut that took joy in only two things, making her life miserable and boys.

However, after their talk, there was so much more to the red-head than she first thought. As Louise continued to walk back to her room, her mine reflected back on the conversation she had with her rival.

* * *

Louise had followed Kirche into her room after the whole incident with Fouquet. Roxas had not been seen since, and they doubted they would be able to find him anytime soon. He was good at making himself scarce when he didn't want to be found. But at the moment, that really didn't matter.

Currently, Kirche was sitting at her desk with her arms folded while Louise sat on the bed, her head down as she continued to think about the past few days. Tabitha had retreated back to her room, so it was just the two girls there, alone.

There was a very awkward silence between them for the longest time. The silence was unbearable, so Kirche took the initiative.

"Louise…"

"Why?"

Kirche blinked a few times before she raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"

Tears started to stream down Louise's face as she chocked on a sob. She looked up at her rival, not even caring what kind of state she was in.

"Why am I so bad at magic? Why can't I do anything right? I study, I practice, I try every day to be the best I can be, but I always fail. Why is it that I can't do the things you do? Why does it come so easy to you when I give everything I have and always come up short?" She cried as more tears streamed down her face.

Kirche didn't show it, but she was actually quite shocked that Louise was acting like this. She thought the girl was made of steel and that nothing she said could ever get to her.

How wrong she was.

"It's so humiliating." Louise continued as she looked down at the ground, her tears gently splashing on the wood floor. "I am supposed to be a noble, but I can't cast magic. Every day I get called a Zero because I have never been able to use even the simplest spell. I don't have any friends because who would want to be friends with a Zero. A nothing."

As Kirche continued to watch the girl break down in front of her, she would only cringe at all the times she had been the one that had started the teasing in class. At the time, she didn't think anything of it because Louise would never show that she was affected by it. But now she could see that Louise would hid all of that hurt behind a mask.

Kirche gave a small sigh. That was something she could relate to.

"However." Louise started, catching Kirche's attention. "I finally did something right at the summoning. I was able to call forth a familiar." She said as she looked back at Kirche. "He was stubborn and rarely listened to me, but it gave me hope. It gave me hope that I was not a complete failure as a mage and that I could amount to something if I tried hard enough." She then looked down at the floor again. "He didn't even care that I couldn't cast magic. He didn't look down on me, insult me, or belittle me in any way. I thought I had finally found someone that could look past that part of me." She said as she bit her lip.

"But I even messed that up to. Now my Familiar is ashamed of me. The one person that didn't care that I couldn't cast magic, the one person that treated me just like everyone else, is ashamed of me." She chocked on another sob. "And yet again when I try and help him, I end up hurting him even more because all I ever do is fail." That was when the floodgates burst open. Louise started to sob into her hands in front of her rival. All the bottled up emotions she had contained suddenly flooded out of her.

Kirche could only watch in pity as her rival continued to cry. Louise looked so broken, something Kirche didn't think could happen to Louise. But everyone had their limits…and it seemed that Louise had just reached hers.

Slowly, Kirche stood from her seat as she sat on the bed next to her. She put a comforting arm around Louise's shoulder as gently pulled her close.

Usually, Louise would have tried to pull away from Kirche, but she was too much of a mess to do anything about it. She simply rested her head against her rivals shoulder and let her tears fall. Right now she didn't care who it was, she just needed someone to be there for her.

Kirche just sat there and let Louise vent all of her emotions until she finally calmed down a bit. When her sobs turned into a few sniffles, Kirche gave her a soft smile.

"You know Louise, I used to be enrolled in an academy at Germania, but because of some unfortunate circumstances, I was forced to move here to Tristain." She started.

Louise wasn't looking at her directly, but she was listening.

"I got into a bit of trouble and had to move. When I first came here, I was so frustrated at the situation, that I guess I took it out on the first person I could. Imagine my surprise when a family rival attended the same academy as me. That made you a prime target to vent my own frustration." She said as she gently rubbed Louise's shoulder. "What added to the frustration was that all the boys in this academy could not see me beyond my looks, just like my ex-fiancé."

Louise rubbed her eyes as she looked up at Kirche. "You're…ex-fiancé? You were supposed to be married?"

Kirche nodded. "He was a disgusting old geezer that could give Count Mott a run for his money." She said before she smiled at Louise. "My family claimed that getting married to him would boost their status as nobles, but I didn't believe it for a second. A girl can tell when a guy only wants her only for their body." She said as she gave a sigh. "Naturally I refused to marry him. And that created bad blood between our two families. To make a long story short, I had to move here because my reputation was slandered by that man and his family."

Louise's eyes widened. "T-That means…"

"Yeah." Kirche said as she gave a solemn smile, one that Louise had never seen on her usually seductive face. "There was a lot of things said about me that I would rather not share, but people talked behind my back, made fun of me, and mocked me mercilessly. My so-called friends turned against me and I was completely alone." She turned back to Louise. "So my family sent me here to get a fresh start. I met Tabitha, who is a bit reserved, but is a great listener."

Louise raised her eyebrow at that, causing Kirche to laugh. "It may not seem like it, but Tabitha does hear every word you say through her book." She said before she gave a sigh. "But she was the only friend I really had here. The boys only saw me for my body and most of the girls were jealous because of it. All I had to take my frustrations out on was my families rival, you."

Louise frowned a bit before she gently pushed Kirche away. "If you went through something similar, then why did you always make fun of me?"

Kirche gave another small sigh. "Because it made me feel better about myself. It made me forget about the pain I went through. That's kind of why I date all those boys. It is just a temporary fix; bit the attention also helps me forget."

Louise frowned again before she wiped the rest of her tears away. "I guess it does. When Roxas first became my familiar, I was so mean to him…and to a degree, I still am. I once tried to take his weapon away, thinking that it would help me become a better mage, but I was just fooling myself. Roxas is not strong because of those weapons. I was steadily pushing him away, to the point where he is ashamed of me now."

Kirche nodded before she gave a small grin. "People tend to have a breaking point when pushed too far, wouldn't you agree?"

"Shut up." Louise snapped as she gave Kirche a small shove, but she had a small smile on her face as she did so.

 _Knock knock_

"Come in" Kirche called as Louise quickly wiped the rest of her tears away. The door opened to revile Siesta standing there with a tray of tea for the two girls. She had a smile on her face as she walked in and sat the tray on the table. She then gave a small bow left out the door. Kirche stood from the bed and walked to the table, picking up two cups of tea before she returned to the bed. She offered Louise one of the cups which she accepted graciously.

After taking a small sip, she turned to her rival. "Kirche, what am I supposed to do about Roxas?"

Kirche sipped her tea as she thought about it. "The first step would be to figure out why he is mad at you."

Louise lowered her head a bit more, already knowing the answer. "I already know why. It was because of the way I treated his friends, how I view Commoners as a whole, and the fact that I lied about it."

Kirche nodded as she hummed in thought. "Roxas seems like the kind of person who will believe actions over words. But has anything changed? Do you still view commoners the same way?"

Louise bit her lower lip as she thought back on Roxas's question. If she had known about what was in Count Mott's basement, would she have done anything about it?

"I don't know. I was raised to believe that nobles were above them. That they didn't matter, but…"

"But?"

"But after I saw what was in Count Mott's basement…" Louise said as she gave a small shiver.

Kirche could agree. That was a truly horrifying scene. "Yeah."

"What about you? Weren't you the same?" Louise asked.

Kirche gave a small chuckle. "This is not about me, remember?" She said a she took another sip of her tea. "All I can suggest is that you show him that your views have changed. Of course, I don't know if just saying it will be enough because Roxas is a very unpredictable person, someone that even I can't really read."

Louise lowered her head as she thought about it. What Kirche said really did make a lot of sense.

"Thank you." Louise said as she gave Kirche a small smile.

Kirche grinned right back. "Don't think I will act any different around you though. You are just too much fun to banter with…Zero."

Louise narrowed her eyes at Kirche before she grinned right back. "I didn't expect anything less from you, cow."

"A cow I may be, but I can use that do my advantage." She said, as she pushed out her chest slightly. "However, I don't think it works very well on Roxas, which it why I like him so much." She said, getting Louise's attention.

"You stay away from him, he is my familiar."

"He is still a growing boy, hormones and all. He will eventually succumb to his desires." Kirche said as she struck a small pose.

The two girls shared a small laugh before Louise stood from the bed and walked toward the door.

"Louise."

Louise turned back to see a small smile on Kirche's face. "If you do need to talk to someone, I will be here. We may banter a lot with each other, but I now consider you a friend, despite our family being rivals."

Louise lower lip trembled a bit before she turned around and walked out the door. She really didn't trust her voice at this moment.

* * *

Louise finally made it back to her room. She opened the door, but really didn't expect someone to be there waiting for her. Usually when they got into a fight, Roxas would find a place to sleep outside.

She quickly changed into her night gown before crawling into bed. Her heart was much lighter now thanks to her new friend. Who knew Kirche was like that under her own mask.

* * *

It was a couple days later that Roxas found himself in the headmaster's office with Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha. They were all standing in front of the academy headmaster, his secretary, and Professor Colbert in order to confirm some things about Fouquet.

"What a load of Bull." Roxas stated.

"It may be unfair Roxas, but that is just the way it is. People will always want to pin the blame on someone." Colbert responded.

"Yeah, but what did Henrietta have to do with it? It was not her fault Fouquet decided to rob the treasury."

"That is true, but because she was there, the guards were more focused on protecting her, thus leaving the treasury vulnerable. We also knew that Fouquet was still out there and advised that the princess not come to the familiar exhibit, but she came anyway. Naturally she was blamed for the theft of the staff of destruction because she didn't listen to us."

Roxas shook his head. He really didn't understand this world. Why would they pin the blame on Henrietta? She had nothing to do with it, but people still blamed her for it just because she was at the exhibit.

"Which it where you all come in." the headmaster said, causing everyone to look at him. "We need your conformation on a few things. Lately, some people have reported a suspicious figure being seen going in and out of an abandoned cabin in the woods not too far from here." He said before he turned to his secretary. "Mrs. Longueville, if you please."

Longueville nodded as she pulled out a roll of parchment. "I was able to make a drawing based on the testimony of the witnesses." She said as she unrolled the paper to show a hooded female figure. It was clearly Fouquet.

"That's her!" Louise said, pointing to the picture. "There's no mistake."

Roxas looked at the drawing and nodded. It was a really good drawing, almost exactly like how Fouquet looked.

"If this is true, we need to alert the palace. They can dispatch the knights." Colbert stated.

Headmaster Osmond shook his head. "That will take too long. We need to stop her before she escapes with the staff of destruction. Is there anyone who is willing to take this assignment?"

Immediate, Louise stepped forward and raised her wand. "I'll go." She said "We need to stop her before the princess gets into more trouble. The faster we get the staff of destruction back, the better."

Kirche frowned before she too raised her wand. "I can't lose to the Zero now, can I?" she said with a smirk.

Louise grinned right back. "You already did. I was the first to volunteer."

Roxas rolled his eyes as he watched the two squabbles. But Tabitha caught his interest when she raised her staff.

"You as well Tabitha?" Kirche asked.

"I'm worried."

Kirche squealed as she lowered her wand and pulled Tabitha into a hug. But, Tabitha being Tabitha kept her emotionless face. "Thank you Tabitha. You really are the best."

"Well then, I will leave the matter to you three." Osmond said as he gave a satisfied nod.

Colbert on the other hand was anything but thrilled. "You cannot be serious headmaster! They are just students. Fouquet is a triangle class mage. Even when she robbed the treasury, there was little to nothing they could do about it. What will make this situation any different?"

Osmond thought about it for a few seconds before he turned to his secretary. "Longueville will be accompanying them. She is a very talented mage herself. But not only that…" he said as he looked at Tabitha. "Tabitha is ranked as a chevalier, so that really should be enough experience to accommodate for the rest." He finished with a nod.

Colbert bit his lip slightly, already knowing that little bit of information about Tabitha. However, he still worried about his students. It did not help that the queen told him specifically to watch over Tabitha when she came to Tristain. He knew who she really was and what would happen if anything happened to her. However, despite all that, he consented with the headmaster's logic.

After she heard that, Kirche looked down at the girl she was hugging. "You're a chevalier already? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't ask." Was all Tabitha said as she tried to flip the page of her book while simultaneously being hugged by the taller red head.

* * *

Roxas casually looked around at the scenery. The amount of trees and greenery in the area was actually quite refreshing. They were currently in a wagon that was manned by Longueville, being pulled to the destination that Fouquet had been last seen.

Currently, he was sitting on one side of the wagon, gazing off into the trees with Tabitha sitting next to him, reading her book as she usually did. Louise and Kirche sat on the other side of the wagon, squabbling about god know what. However, there was something that Roxas did notice between the two. The tense atmosphere between them seemed to have evaporated. And what was left was actually more like how he, axel and … would banter with each other.

Roxas frowned a bit as he tried to remember the last person's name. Every time he was about to say her name, it escape him before it would come out of his mouth. It was actually extremely frustrating. Who was that girl? By now, he knew that someone else had sat on the edge of twilight tower with him and axel, but who was she? Why couldn't he remember her? He continued to think about it until it gave him a small headache. It was obvious that he was not going to remember today, so he decided to focus on other things.

He glanced over at Louise and Kirche, who were arguing about…chest sizes? Whatever that meant. He glanced at Louise, still feeling a bit angry at her. He had taken every opportunity to avoid her because just being around her got him riled up.

But Roxas fell like being angry right now, so he turned his attention to the headmaster's secretary.

"What is the staff of destruction anyway?" he asked, trying to spark a conversation. His question seemed to get more than just Longueville's attention though. Louise and Kirche immediately stopped arguing and Tabitha lowered her book a bit.

Longueville turned to look at him for a second. "It is a wand with incredibly destructive powers."

"Why do you think Fouquet would want it?"

"Who knows? It could be for anything. Power, Money, to gain an advantage over someone else, a higher status as a noble, you name it. Every mage seeks more power than they already have. The more power you have, the more influence you have as well." she said. "I'm guessing that Fouquet is a mage that lost her nobility status, so she resorts to mercenary work."

"So she is basically a commoner with magic abilities?"

"That's right."

Roxas turned his gaze up to the sky. "Hmmm, she is one lucky person then."

Everyone paused as they looked at Roxas, completely surprised. "What do you mean by that? Losing your nobility is worse than death to a noble." Louise said sharply.

"Why? Fouquet is a commoner. Sure, commoners may be oppressed and mistreated by nobles…" He said with a small glare, causing Louise to cringe. "But they can go wherever they want to go, do whatever they want to do, and be whoever they want to be. They don't have to live in a mold like most the nobles I see around here. They don't have to try to be someone there not just to keep up appearances…" He gave her another look. "Truthfully, I would rather be a commoner than a noble."

Longueville was facing away from Roxas, but her mouth had dropped open. Truthfully, she had never seen it like that. She had always seen her loss of nobility to be the ultimate humiliation of her life. But what he was saying was actually very true. Sure, Nobles may have money, status, big houses, and servants, but commoners really do have something that is worth more than all of that.

Freedom.

However, despite having this, Commoners still envy, and aspire to be nobles.

She was not the only one that was shocked by his statement. Louise and Kirche were both staring at him with their mouths open while Tabitha was just looking at him, the only way you could tell she was surprised was the slight widening of her eyes.

Roxas looked at their surprised faces before he gave a small scoff and leaned forward. "You want to know something interesting? Ever since I was first summoned, the people I have seen the happiest are actually the commoners. The only time they are not happy is when they are oppressed and threatened by nobles…like Count Mott."

There was not much conversation that went down afterwards as everyone thought about Roxas's words. They were very confusing. Any commoner would die to be a noble, but from Roxas's point of view, it was opposite. He viewed nobles as the ones that were confined within their own nobility, while commoners were free. And to a point, what he said was true. There was nothing that was really expected of commoners. But nobles, there was so much expected of them, almost to the point where it did bind them down.

* * *

It didn't take much longer before they arrived at the abandoned lumber shack in the middle of the forest. There was literally nothing around except the shabby house. They parked the wagon just out of sight so they could creep closer without being detected. Roxas gently pressed his back along the side of the cabin before he turned his head and peaked through the window.

Roxas gave a small frown as he saw absolutely nothing in the cabin. It was completely abandoned, and from the looks of it, no one had lived there for a very long time.

"Hmm." Roxas hummed before he turned to the others, who were hiding in the trees. He waved for them to come over, signifying that it was safe.

Soon, the group approached the entrance of the building before Tabitha stopped them. She stood in front of the entrance before she waved her staff. Seconds later, she gave a small nod before she turned to them.

"No traps." She said before she turned back to the door and pushed it open.

"Tabitha, wait for me." Kirche said as she waltzed in right behind her.

"You go in there as well. I will stay out here and keep watch." Louise said.

Roxas didn't even look at her as he walked to the entrance of the door. He stopped before entering and turned to Longueville. "And what about you? Are you coming in?"

Longueville bit her lower lip slightly before she shook her head. "I will scout around the area to see if I can find where Fouquet went." She said.

Roxas nodded. "Be careful."

Longueville then bit the inside of her cheek before she turned and walked into the forest.

Roxas entered the cabin to see Tabitha and Kirche looking around. Kirche was checking the cabinets, sending dust spewing in all directions with each door she opened. Tabitha was checking the nooks and crannies of the building.

"There's nothing here!" Kirche said in frustration before she slapped the table. Dust flew up between her fingers and settled around her face, causing her to cough. "Let's get out of here already." She said as she made for the door.

Roxas nodded before he followed behind Kirche.

"The staff of destruction."

Roxas and Kirche whirled around to see the same rectangular box that Fouquet had stolen from the treasury. It was right here, unguarded and unprotected. Fouquet just left it here while she was off doing god knows what. But why would she leave it here out in the open? Why would she not take even the smallest measure to ensure its protection?

Roxas's eyes instantly narrow. "It can't be that eas…"

Suddenly, a scream erupted from outside. Roxas, Kirche, and Tabitha all looked towards the door of the cabin, but before they could even make a move to exit, the roof started to crack above them. Immediately, they looked up to see a number of earthy fingers smash through the walls near the roof before griping the wood. It didn't take much force after that before the entire roof was complexly torn from the cabin.

Roxas's eyes widened as he saw a very familiar earth giant standing there, staring down at them while they were still in the cabin. Suddenly, the Golem dropped the roof and drew back its massive fist. Roxas panicked a bit as he saw Kirche and Tabitha looking up helplessly as the giant thrust its fist at them. There was nowhere to retreat to.

Immediately, Roxas summoned the Oathkeeper in order to increase the power of his spell. "REFLECTAGA!" he shouted.

A dome of light surrounded the three as the massive fist smashed into it. The shield shattered into fragments of light before the fragments exploded, completely obliterating the walls of the cabin and destroying a good portion of the Giants fist.

Luckily, Tabitha and Kirche were inside the shield, so they were unaffected, but they were too busy staring at Roxas to escape.

Roxas took a deep breath before his eyes widened yet again. The earth giant stretched out its broken arm before pieces of earth broke away from the ground and started to reshape the damaged limb. Roxas turned to Kirche and Tabitha, who were still staring at him. He growled in frustration.

"What are you doing? MOVE!" he shouted.

The two girls were knocked out of there stupor as they once again looked up; only to pale as the massive fist was once again heading in their direction. Only this time, there was an escape route. Immediately, the trio ran through the broken walls of the cabin right as the fist complexly destroyed what was left of it.

Now that they were out in the open, the three got a good look at the colossal giant. It was no doubt Fouquet's golem, the same one that invaded the treasury a few days back.

"Fouquet is here." Roxas said as the oblivion flashed into existence in his other hand.

"Yeah, she is." Kirche said as she glanced over at Roxas. "That spell was quite impressive. I really should stop being surprised when I am around you Roxas." She said with a wink.

Roxas didn't pay attention to that as the golem turned to face them. It was about to charge, but a blue blur flew right in front of it, causing it to halt in its tracks. Immediately, Roxas's eyes widened as he recognized that blur.

"Sylphid!" he called.

Immediately, Tabitha gave a whistle, causing the dragon to fly in their direction and land right behind them. Tabitha and Kirche quickly jumped on before turning to Roxas.

"Roxas, we have to go."

Roxas frowned as he looked between the golem and Sylphid. He would love to go right now, but there was only one problem.

Where were Louise and Longueville?

He may be pissed off at Louise, but there was no way he was going to leave her to die out here. Nether her nor Longueville.

It didn't take long though because he caught sight of a girl with pink hair run up behind the golem.

"FIREBALL!" Louise screamed.

A small explosion went off on the golems shoulder, breaking a small chunk of earth off of its body. The golem turned to Louise, looking at her like she was only an annoyance before it turned its entire body toward her.

"FIREBALL!" Louise screamed desperately. Again, only a small explosion went off on the golem's body, but it did nothing to slow the creature down.

Roxas saw her futile attempts to stop the beast, but it was getting closer…And she was still not moving! "Louise MOVE! RUN!" Roxas shouted.

"NO, I am a NOBLE! I won't run away and soil my honor." She said before she waved her wand again. "FIREBALL!" She screamed once again. Another explosion barely harmed the massive creature as it finally stood in front of her. Louise had tears of frustration cascading down her face as she looked up at the creature. Once again, she had failed.

The golem raised its arm before swinging it down at the vulnerable girl. Louise could only look helplessly before she closed her eyes tight, waiting for the blow to come.

The blow came, but not in the way she was expecting. Immediately, she felt the air get knocked out of her lungs as something hit her in the stomach. Her eyes flew open as she gasped, only to see the first of the golem narrowly miss her and smash into the ground. She felt the fabric or Roxas's hood smack her in the face before she turned to see a mop of spiky blond hair right next her.

Roxas gasped for breath as he held Louise over his shoulder while sprinting away from the golem. That was way too close for comfort. He looked behind him to see that there was a bit of distance between them and the golem before he gave an angry growl. He not-so-gently dropped Louise on her butt, causing her to help in pain.

"What the HELL is wrong with you!" he said through clenched teeth. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Louise looked up at her familiar. "What do you expect me to do? I am a noble! I don't run from a fight!"

"I expect you to use your brain. Did you seriously think you could defeat that thing? Were you going to stand and fight when all it would do is kill you in the end? What will that accomplish? Your one life will end. Your once existence…" He said as he turned away and looked at the golem, who was once again approaching them. "You have no idea how lucky you are to actually exist. What other people would give to have that gift."

Louise stared up at him before she lowered her head, a few teas falling down her cheeks. "But…"

Roxas blinked as he turned back to the girl. He felt his eyes widen again as he saw her countenance. He had never seen her like this before. Never seen her so…vulnerable.

Louise choked on a small sob. "But, I can't run away. I can't just run while my familiar to fight alone. It's so hard to be a noble and not be able to use magic. It is so humiliating." She said as more tears streamed down her face. She then looked up into Roxas's perplexed eyes. "I can't stand being the Zero anymore."

For the first time in his life, Roxas felt a small amount of pity for the girl in front of him. He could see the hurt in her eyes, they pain she had to endure throughout her life and the toll it had taken on her. It seemed that she had also gone through quite a lot in her lifetime.

A brush of wind gently licked his face, causing him to look up. Sylphid just landed in front of him with Kirche and Tabitha riding on her back. He then turned back to broken girl. He knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up into his blue eyes.

"You can on do the best you can. I know you want to fight, but this is probably the reason why you summoned someone like me." He said before he turned to Kirche and Tabitha. "Take Louise and go!" Roxas said as he stood and turned toward the Golem, who was now standing in front of him. Roxas didn't back down. He didn't show any signs of fear in his eyes as he looked up at his large opponent.

Kirche had jumped off of Sylphid before yanking Louise off the ground and tugging her toward the dragon. She then turned to Roxas. "What are you going to do?"

Roxas looked up at his friends. His desire to protect them doubled as he felt power surge within him. He gave a deep breath as the power continued to rise. He then turned to the golem. "I am going to finish this." He said dangerously. It may have not been necessary for him to do this, but Roxas had to admit that he was curious about how this was going to turn out.

Suddenly, red arcs of electricity shot around his body. His coat flashed red for a brief instant before turning back to its original black. Roxas closed his eyes and gave another deep breath as he drew from the power he was feeling. The arcs of electricity bounced around him again, though more frequently this time as his coat flashed red again.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise watched as Sylphid took off into the sky to observe the battle.

"What is that?" Kirche asked as she saw Roxas's coat flash a different color.

"I-I don't know" Louise answered back.

Suddenly, the golem raised its arm, ready to smash Roxas into the ground. It thrust its fist at him with a devastating force. The passengers riding on Sylphid could only watch in horror as the fist soared at Roxas while he was just standing there.

Just before it was about to make contact, Roxas opened his eyes. "Drive, Valor."

Immediately, a crimson red energy surrounded the nobody before it was released in an explosion. The first of the golem was completely destroyed, and it was sent stumbling backwards.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise stared with their mouths open as the light faded away to revile Roxas. The only difference was that he was wearing a different coat, one with a very particular design.

Roxas stood there with his Oblivion in one hand, and the Oathkeeper in the other. Red arcs of power bounced around his body and his entire being seemed to glow with a crimson aura. His black jacket had transformed into a dark red one with a massive nobody symbol going done the front and the back. His gloves were crimson with nobody symbols on the back of them as well, while there was various shades of black and crimson that decorated the rest of the coat.

Roxas had never felt this kind of power in this life. He didn't know where it came from, but right now he was going to use it to protect the people he cared about.

"ROXAS! LOOK OUT!" Louise screamed.

Roxas looked up, only to notice that the golem had raised its other arm before thrusting it right in his direction. Immediately, Roxas crossed the Keyblades in front of his body and braced for impact. The fist smashed into the Keyblades with an extreme force. Roxas felt his feet dig into the ground as he was pushed backwards. However, he managed to stop the Golems fist in its tracks. He drew back the oblivion and slashed at the fist with his new enhanced strength.

The fist didn't stand a chance as it was cut cleanly in half by the Keyblade. Immediately, the arm detached from the rest of the body before it crashed to the ground, breaking into hundreds of pieces.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise all had their mouths handing open as the watched the insane display of physical strength.

"Just who is he?" whispered Kirche.

Roxas clenched the Keyblades in his hands before he looked up at the now armless golem. It didn't take long before it started to regenerate its limbs, so Roxas decided to move. He dashed forward with a new speed, sprinting towards the golem's legs. Immediately, he slashed at the two earthy appendages, slicing them clean through before passing underneath.

The golems entire body crashed to the ground as its legs disintegrated. Roxas turned to look at the golem as it lay there flat on its front. Immediately, he turned and leaped into the air.

"Brave shot!" he said as he slammed his Keyblades into the ground. Pillars of red energy erupted from the two Keyblades as they shot at the golem. The golem's body didn't stand a chance as it was smashed to pieces by the shockwave. Soon, the entire golem disintegrated back into the earth.

Roxas took a deep breath as he looked at the crumbled mess that was once the golem's body. Even he was surprised by the amount of power this form held. The only drawback was that he felt a complete disconnection from his magic. The Valor form enhanced him physically, but he would not be able to use magic. However, from the look of it, the form granted him more than enough power to accommodate.

Suddenly, Roxas felt all of his strength leave him. He fell to the ground, heaving as his clothing returned to their normal color. He dropped the Keyblades to the ground, causing them both to vanish in a flash of light. As he continued to pant, he scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. The drive was not supposed to make you this exhausted when you used it. In fact, when Sora used it, he would always return to full health. He was never exhausted after he used it, so why was it affecting him so mu…

Oh…

Roxas shook his head as the answer came clear. When Sora used the drive, he would borrow the strength of one, or both of his friends in order to attain the full power of the drive. Since Roxas didn't have anyone's power to borrow, he was left to use his own. Therefore, he could not use drive for as long as Sora could, and when he did, it would leave him exhausted.

Roxas gave a sigh as he realized that he would need to do a lot of practicing with these drives in order to attain their full potential.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his thoughts when the ground started to rumble again. Roxas looked up in horror as he saw a fresh golem erupt from the ground. He grit his teeth before he jumped away to avoid another haymaker, but he lost his footing because of the amount of fatigue the Drive had given him. He was physically exhausted.

"Roxas needs help! Give me the staff." Louise said as she ripped the rectangular box from Kirche's hands. She then leaped from the dragons back. Luckily, Tabitha saw this coming and chanted a spell to slow her decent. Quickly, Louise opened the box, and pulled out the staff.

Roxas saw Louise gliding down to the ground before she opened the box. Right when she pulled out the staff, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in complete bewilderment. There was no possible way.

"Take this!" Louse shouted as she waved the staff at the golem, but there was absolutely no affect. She looked at the weapon in confusion. "It's not working!" She cried as she continued to wave the staff around. The golem turned its attention to Louise as she tried to get the staff to work.

Roxas blinked a few times before he shook his head, trying to focus on the problem at hand. He grunted as he summoned a corridor of darkness and went within its wispy debts, only to reappear next to Louise.

"That's not a staff of destruction." He said as he yanked the weapon away from Louise. He only had a second to look at it.

It was rusted badly, like it hadn't been used in many years. But the shape of the weapon was unmistakable.

It was an old Keyblade.

It looked vastly different from his, but there was no mistaking it. Right when he touched the weapon, he felt a dramatic increase in his magical potency. It seemed like this Keyblade was more of a magic based weapon like his Oathkeeper. Roxas took a deep breath before he summoned his Oathkeeper in his other hand in order to increase his magic even further. That was the only power he had in him right now.

"ROXAS, BEHIND YOU!"

Roxas turned his head to see the golem about to step on them with its massive foot. There was no way he had the strength to stop that. He desperately looked down at the old and rusted Keyblade. He didn't know where it came from nor how it got there, but right now he needed its power.

"Please choose me." Roxas whispered as he raised both key blades into the sky, putting every bit of magical energy he had into this spell.

"THUNDERAGA"

Immediately, both key blades lit up before they shot a massive bolt of electricity into the sky. The incredible power that went into that spell caused the sky to darken for a brief moment. Everyone in the vicinity only had a second to look up before the sky opened and released a series of massive electrical bolts. They flashed down and hit the golem with an earthshattering force. The golem was completely obliterated while Roxas and Louise were thrown backward by the sheer force of the explosion. Roxas released the Keyblades, allowing the Oath keeper to vanish, while the unnamed Keyblade clanged to the ground.

Dust erupted from the ground as Roxas and Louise roughly crashed to the earth. Roxas lay on his back for a few moments, almost completely drained of physical and magical strength. He poured all the magic he had into that attack, and it was more devastating that he could have imagined.

Louise groaned as well as she gingerly pushed herself to her knees. She then looked over at what remained of the golem.

As the dust began to settle, the only thing left of the golem was a crater. Slowly Roxas sat up and grabbed his head. He really did prefer fighting a person head on rather than using magic…But magic really did have its uses.

He then looked over at the rusted Keyblade on the ground. How in the world did it get there? Why was it here? It must have been here for a long time for it to be rusted that bad.

Louise tore her gaze away from the crater before she looked up at Roxas with awe in her eyes. She had never seen a spell like that one before, and the destructive power behind it was something else.

"ROXAS, DARLING!" Kirche exclaimed as she literally jumped on the boy and hugged him tightly. "That was the most amazing spell I have ever seen. You have to teach me that!" she said as she rubbed her cheek against him.

Roxas felt his heart pound in his chest slightly before he gently pushed her off. "The golem is destroyed…but Fouquet…is still around here!" Roxas said between gasps.

"How right you are Roxas."

Roxas turned to see Longueville standing there with the rusty Keyblade in her hand. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Where were you?"

"Oh, I was right here. I mean, how was I supposed to summon my golem if I wasn't somewhere close? Though I have to admit, the staff of destruction truly lives up to its name." she said as she let her hair down and removed her glasses. "Who knew this rusted old weapon could have such devastating power."

Roxas grit his teeth. "You're Fouquet."

"Indeed. I got the staff, but I didn't know how to use it. Actually, from what I know, no one really knows how to use it. We almost lost hope that it could ever be used, until you came along, Roxas." She said as she tore her gaze from the Keyblade and looked at the group of shocked students.

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Fouquet smiled. "You see, I saw your duel with Guiche. You can imagine my surprise when I saw the kind of weapons you used, and how much they resemble the staff of destruction. However, you failed to show the same amount of power that was described in the legends of this weapon, but it didn't really matter. For some reason, I just knew you would be able to show me how to use it."

Fouquet then looked at the weapon again. "But that was not the only reason I thought you would be able to use the staff." she said as she looked at them again. Roxas was struggling to his feet, but you could easily tell that he was completely exhausted. "The legends say that Gandalfr can use any weapon, so that would include this weapon as well." She said as she pointed the Keyblade at them.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Louise stared at Fouquet in confusion. Roxas however, was now standing on his feet, though a bit shakily. He took a step forward.

"Don't move!" Fouquet commanded as she pointed the weapon at Roxas.

"Longueville, you don't have to do this." Roxas said as he clenched and released his hand.

Fouquet bit her lower lip a bit. "I am afraid I do. I have no choice in the matter." She said as her expression steeled over. "I need this for later on. Unfortunately, you won't be around long enough to figure out what that is." She said before she waved the Keyblade at them. "THUNDERAGA" Longville shouted into the sky as she mimicked what Roxas had done earlier.

Roxas shook his head as he raised his empty hand.

Fouquet blinked a few times as she looked at the Keyblade in astonishment. "THUNDERAGA!" She shouted once again.

"There is something you need to know about that weapon Fouquet."

Fouquet panicked a bit as she looked at Roxas. There was a bit of fear building up in her eyes as she saw his cold glare.

"A key blade had to choose its master."

Immediately, the rusted Keyblade in Fouquet's hand vanished in a flash of light. Soon afterwards, a bright light erupted in Roxas's hand. It continued to glow brighter until everyone had to shield their eyes from the light.

Soon, it dimmed down to revile Roxas holding the exact same Keyblade, only this time, all the rust was complexly gone and the weapon looked like it had been polished by a professional blacksmith.

Fouquet's eyes widened in fear as she took a couple of steps back. "No, that is impossible!" she exclaimed.

A pillar of darkness erupted from the ground and encircled Roxas. An instant later, he appeared right in front of Fouquet before he grabbed the color of her shirt. "It seems you're not worthy to wield the Keyblade."

Fouquet could only widen her eyes before she was met with an immense amount of pain in her stomach. All the air vanished from her lungs as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She then fell to the ground, something that Roxas made no effort to prevent.

He looked down at her for a few second before he too fell flat on his back, completely exhausted from the events of the day. Slowly, he raised the new Keyblade into the air as he examined it. The Keyblade seemed to have chosen him, but for some reason he didn't feel a deep connection to it like he did the oblivion and the Oathkeeper. Why was that?

"Hey tough guy."

Roxas looked up to see Kirche standing there with a seductive smile on her face. "What?"

"You comfortable down there?"

"I am completely exhausted. Give me a break." He said as he lowered his head again.

Kirche gave a small shrug before she walked over to his side and grabbed his arm. "Well, I guess it can't be helped then." She said as she slung his arm around her shoulder.

Roxas laughed a little as he struggled to his feet. He leaned against the tall red-head. He had to laugh again as he was reminded of the time that Riku and Sora were in the same position. Sora had to basically drag Riku out of the realm of nobody's.

Suddenly, he felt his other arm being wrapped around another shoulder. He looked to his side and noticed that Louise had done the same thing as Kirche. She avoided eye contact though as she simply supported the exhausted nobody.

Roxas looked at her in confusion before he shrugged. He let them take him back to the cart while Tabitha levitated Fouquet off the ground and followed them.

* * *

The Ride back to the academy was uneventful. Fouquet was unconscious for the trip, and Roxas was lying on the floor of the carriage, sleeping. He was spent from the fight with Fouquet and from using drive for the first time.

Tabitha was manning the cart while Sylphid was flying above them.

Kirche moved over to Louise. "Hey Louise, did you know Roxas was that strong?"

Louise shook her head as she stared at her sleeping familiar. "I had no idea."

"Hmm." Kirche hummed as she looked at Roxas as well. "That spell was incredible. How is he able to wield the staff of destruction?"

"Keyblade."

Louise and Kirche looked at Tabitha. She didn't turn her head when she spoke. "Yes, I remember he said it was a Keyblade. Isn't that the weapon he uses to fight? How did one end up here?"

Louise shrugged as she continued to stare at the sleeping boy. "I don't know. I really don't know. Ever since Roxas came here, there has been one question after another with no answers."

Kirche nodded in agreement. "You got that right. I swear my curiosity is going to drive me insane unless I get some answers. Every time I think I have seen all that Roxas can do, he pulls something like this. It's almost frustrating because I am usually really good at reading boys. But Roxas…"

"Believe me, I know. He is my familiar after all and I still know nothing about him. How he is such a good fighter, how he can use all these strange but powerful spells? He never says anything about it."

Kirche massaged her forehead in frustration. "It's giving me a headache just thinking about it, but I think we have to wait for him to open up. You remember what happened last time we tried to force information out of him.

Louise nodded as she thought back on their failed attempts to learn about her familiar.

"What do you think Tabitha?" Kirche asked.

"I don't know." Tabitha said. But even though she said that, her mind was just as boggled at there's. She was never one to try and barge into someone's past, but Roxas was such a curious character that even she wanted to know who he was.

* * *

It was later that day that they were all standing in front of headmaster Osmond. Fouquet had been taken to the dungeons, but the staff of destruction was nowhere to be seen. However, Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha all knew where it went.

"You all did very well today. Fouquet will be handed over to the palace. You three will be the main event at the ball tonight and you will be receiving some form of reward from the Royal family." Osmond said. Louise and Kirche looked excited about this, but Tabitha stayed neutral.

"And Roxas?" Tabitha asked.

Osmond looked to the ground for a second in shame. "It isn't fair, but since he is not a noble, he won't receive anything."

Roxas shook his head. "I don't really care about that, but I would like to ask you something."

Osmond stared at the nobody before he nodded his head. "I don't mind. Ladies, please prepare for the ball." He said as he ushered the girls out of the room.

Once they were out, Roxas turned to Professor Colbert and Osmond. He needed to know where that Keyblade came from.

"The staff of destruction…" he started as he raised his hand. Immediately, the old Keyblade flashed into existence, causing Osmond's and Colbert's eyes to widen. "Where did you get it?"

"How did you…" Colbert started.

"This weapon-" Roxas said as the Keyblade flashed out of existence. "Is a very powerful weapon known as the Keyblade. There are very few people that can use them, myself being one of them." He said as he raised his hand again, causing the Oathkeeper to appear.

Colbert and Osmond stared at him for the longest time as they absorbed this new information. Finally, Osmond gave a sigh. "It's a memento from a man I briefly met. It was about 30 years ago now. I was attacked by a rather vicious and wild dragon. When it was about to kill me, a massive bolt of lightning struck it down with such force that it completely disintegrated. I was so confused until I saw a man standing there with the weapon in his hand. He was wearing the strangest armor I have ever seen in my life. I approached to thank him, but he fell to the ground. When I checked on him, the most curious thing happened.

"What happened?"

"The armor he wore seemed to just vanish in a flash of light, leaving an elderly man lying there. He was very injured and was mumbling the same sentence over and over again."

Roxas blinked a few times. 30 years ago, a Keyblade master came here. That didn't really surprise him because wielders of the Keyblade were tasked to protect the worlds, but it was strange that the Keyblade master was injured like that.

"What happened to him?"

Osmond looked to the ground. "I brought him to the academy, but his wounds were too great. I tried to get him to tell me where he was from so I could call for his family, but he never listened to me. He just kept mumbling the same thing up until his very last breath."

Roxas frowned. "What did he say?"

Osmond intertwined his fingers as he rested his chin on them. "I have failed you as a master, Xehanort."

Roxas felt his breath hitch in the throat. His eyes widened immensely as he heard those words. Xehanort was the somebody of Xemnas, who was the leader of Organization 13. But that didn't make any sense. There was no way that Xehanort would have been training under another Keyblade master 30 years ago. Heck, he was probably not even that old when he became a nobody.

Osmond didn't see Roxas's reaction as he looked down at his desk. "He only lasted a few days, but he died in the most peculiar way. His entire body seemed to just evaporate into particles of light. The only things that were left behind were the staff of destruction and an old journal."

Roxas forcefully pushed his questions to the back of his mind as he looked at the two older men. "He left a journal?"

Osmond nodded. "It is kept in a library below the academy, but I won't open it unless I get explicit orders from the queen. I am sorry."

Roxas stared at Osmond. He was very curious about this. He really wanted to know what had happened to this man. But he saw the determined look in Osmond's eyes and realized that the man was not going to budge on the matter.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas looked at the two men. "The staff of destruction, or the Keyblade…It chooses who wields it and since I am the only one around here that can wield Keyblades, it had chosen me to be its new master. I am sorry, but I cannot give it back to you."

Osmond stared at Roxas for a while before he gave a small nod. "After all you have done to protect my students and defeat Fouquet, you deserve as much. I will just have to tell the palace that the staff has been safely put back in the vault. It's not like anyone would ever use it anyway."

"Thank you." Roxas said as he turned and walked out of the office.

Just as the door closed, Colbert turned to the headmaster. "When should we tell him that he is the legendary Gandalfr?"

Osmond shook his head. "When it is needed. If people find out that Louise is a void mage, there may be an uproar. When void is needed, we will have to tell them."

* * *

It was later in the evening and Roxas stood on the balcony in his usual attire. He was looking at his new Keyblade. It had a longer range than the oblivion, but it was clearly meant for magic like his Oathkeeper. After the sheer power of that lighting spell, he could tell that much. Its color mostly consisted of dark red and black. It had three sharp spikes on the end that signified the cuts of the key. It looked actually frightening up close as a dark, flames-like pattern cascaded up the framework. It was a really intimidating weapon.

His thoughts then turned to the conversation he had with the headmaster. They Keyblade came from another master that found himself on this world. But what really bothered Roxas were the man's last words.

 _I have failed you as a master, Xehanort._

Xehanort. It could not be the same person, could it? How could it be?

"Roxas."

Roxas was pulled from his thoughts as he turned to see Louise standing there in her dress. He blinked a few times. She actually looked good in those elegant clothing. "You look nice Louise."

Louise felt her face grow a little warm. "Why are you standing out there?"

"Kirche is surrounded by boys and Tabitha is at the dining table. The cool air is nice, and I thought I would familiarize myself with my new Keyblade." He said before he let the weapon vanish.

Louise raised her eyebrow. "You really have another one of those, don't you?"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, the lights dimmed a bit as soft music began to play. Roxas looked behind Louise to see that many of the men and women in the ballroom were dancing with each other. He then looked at Louise, who was still standing there, staring at him.

"What?" Roxas asked.

Louise didn't say anything as she raised her hand out in front of her.

Roxas blinked a few times, obviously not understanding the gesture. "What are you doing?"

"I will honor you by letting you dance with me."

"Dance?" Roxas said as he scrunched his eyebrows. "I have never danced in my entire life."

"It doesn't matter. I know you will be able to learn it quickly, so…" Louise then did something that Roxas thought she was completely incapable of doing. She smiled genuinely before giving a small curtsy. "Will you dance with me, Gentleman."

Now it was Roxas's turn to pick his mouth off the ground. How in the world was he supposed to say no without feeling like a complete ass? He rubbed his temples in frustration before he looked her in the eyes.

"Sure, I guess." He said as he took her hand. She led him away onto the floor before she grabbed his hand and placed in on her lower back. She then took his other hand and placed it in hers before she rested her hand against his shoulder.

Roxas stood there like a rock, having no idea what he was supposed to do.

"Just follow me, ok?" she said a she started to move. Roxas immediately followed. "Your way too stiff! Loosen up a bit." Louise ordered.

Roxas nodded before he took a deep breath and tried to relax. It took a few moments, but he was finally started to get it, though Louise still had to do all the leading. If this was the only thing he had to do, then it would be okay.

"Roxas?"

"hmm?"

Louise glanced to the side, her eyebrows slightly scrunched. "I am sorry."

Roxas blinked a few times. He could not believe what he was hearing. He never thought he would hear something like that come out of Louise's mouth.

"You're sorry?"

Louise nodded. "Ever since I summoned you, I have been nothing but cruel. I tried to starve you, whip you, and punish you. I guess I acted like that because I wanted at least one aspect in my life that I could control. I took all my frustration out on you."

Roxas didn't say anything as he continued to listen to her speak.

"And I am sorry about…You know." She said as she looked into his eyes.

Roxas knew what she was talking about. Truthfully, he didn't really care about all the stuff she did to him. What really made him angry at her in the first place was how she treated commoners, and how she lied to the princess just to save face. Roxas stared into her eyes. He could see the conviction of her words just from the look. She really meant what she said.

"I forgive you then, I guess." He said with a small smile.

"You do?" Louise said as she looked up at him.

"Yeah." Roxas replied. He really was Sora's nobody. Sora forgives everyone without a second thought, so why shouldn't he?

Louise smiled a bit as she broke eye contact. She stared at the ground for a few seconds before looking back up at Roxas with a grin. "Don't think this will stop me from getting one of those weapons though."

Roxas rolled his eyes as he huffed. She would not be Louise is she didn't ruin the moment. "Yeah…good luck with that."

They continued to dance for a little until Louise glanced up at him again. "Roxas, why do you keep saving me? You could have easily let Fouquet crush me…So why didn't you?"

Roxas looked at her in confusion. "Simple, because you are my friend."

"You consider me a friend? Why? I have never treated you nicely. I never did anything for you."

Roxas shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. You have done something for me that no one else could have."

"What?"

"You gave me a chance to exist."

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yes. Done with chapter seven. What did you think? Did you like the development? Did you hate it? Louise is still going to act similar to her usual self, but she is going to tone it down a bit. Amway, please leave a review, and let me know.**

 **What are your thoughts on the big revel of the origins of the staff of destruction? I have big plans for this, and it is going to be a lot of fun. I hope you like it as well.**

 **Oh, and before I forget, I would like to ask what you would like the new Keyblade to be called. I have run through a few names myself, but they just didn't feel right. What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment in a review if you have a good idea, please. Thank you for reading, and please look forward to the next update. It is going to be a fun one.**

 **Side note: If any of you think that there was no way that Roxas could have stopped the golems fist like that, then please think back to the final fight in KH2. If Sora can bat a sky-scraper like it is a baseball, then Roxas can freaking to it as well.**

 **Until then, Later!**


	8. Chapter 8: Tears

**Authors Note: First of all, thank you again for all the support on the story. 200+ reviews Hype. I am so grateful for all your comments and your encouragement for the story. It really brightens my day when I see that people enjoy my work, despite the fact that it has mistakes.**

 **But anyway, I was blown away by the amount of names you guys came up with. After much thought, I decided to name it Forgotten Light. It was a name suggested by duskrider. I chose this one for a few reasons. One is because it actually sounds like a Keyblade name that would be used in the game, two is because of duskriders reasoning behind the name, and three is because it fits very well with the Keyblades backstory that I will slowly revel as the story progresses. I will explain a bit more in this chapter, but it felt very appropriate. Thank you duskrider for the name of the keyblade, and thank you everyone else for your input. Sorry if any of you got offended that I didn't use your suggestion.**

 **I got a concern in the reviews about the Keyblade as well. I would have replied, but it was a guest review. It seems that some people think that a Keyblade just becomes a hunk of useless metal when the master dies. I did give this a lot of thought, and it is a very good concern. I won't give any spoilers, but Roxas can use the Forgotten Light for reasons similar to why Aqua could use Master Eraqus's Keyblade after he died. Also, from the teaser trailer of KH3, Sora finds Master Eraqus's Keyblade in the first scene, strongly implying that he will use it for something.**

 **So that is my reasoning, but that was a good concern.**

 **Anyway, "Sigh" This chapter will be a bit dark. You have been warned. There was even a scene that I had a very, and I mean VERY, hard time writing because it was so sad. I hope you can forgive me for that.**

 **Warning: I am a college student, but spelling still gives me trouble, especially with 12K+ words.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 8

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked around at the unfamiliar scene. He was standing in a large room with two other people in it. One of them was a middle aged man and the other was a young boy with white hair.

"Master Kida, why are you so afraid of the darkness?" asked the youth.

Roxas saw the older man shake his head. "There is no place for darkness among the light, Xehanort."

Roxas's eyes widened as he heard that name. He stared at the youth for a few seconds, completely confused as to what was going on.

The youth gave a smug smile as he stared at his master. "If that is true, then why are you so full of darkness? Why do you fear your own power?"

Master Kida broke eye contact with the youth. "There is darkness within every heart Xehanort. Some people have more than others." He said as he extended his hand. Roxas gasped as his new Keyblade flashed into existence. The older man looked at the weapon distastefully for a few seconds. "The Forgotten Light is a bitter reminder of the darkness that I let invade my heart during a time of weakness." He said as he let the Keyblade vanish. "It is a part of me now, whether I like it or not."

Xehanort shook his head. "If it is a part of you, why not use it for a beneficial purpose? Why do you keep it locked away within you?"

Kida glared at Xehanort. "You can never trust the darkness. True, it may grant you great strength, but if you delve too deep within it, you will lose yourself and do something you regret."

"You seem to speak from experience."

Kida didn't answer that question as he turned his back to the young man. "Xehanort, whatever you do, don't succumb to the darkness. Trust me when I say that it will bring you nothing but misery." He said as he walked away.

Xehanort gave another grin before he gave a small bow. "As you wish, Master Kida."

* * *

Roxas gasped awake as he sat up. He gave a couple deep breaths before he looked down at his hand. In his clenched fist was the Keyblade that he, Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha had retreated from Fouquet a few days ago. It shimmered out of existence a second later.

"The Forgotten light." Roxas said out loud as he thought of the new Keyblades name. He then turned his mind back to the strange dream he had. It seemed so real, but where did it come from. It felt just like a memory, but why would he have memories of someone else?

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion before he rested his head back against the wall once again. He thought about the youth in his dream and the conversation he had with this so called Master Kida. There were too many questions to think about right now, so he rested his head against the wall and tried to fall back asleep. He would think about it more in the morning.

* * *

"Thank you for what you and your familiar have done Louise. Fouquet is behind bars now, and it is thanks to your bravery. I am proud to bestow upon you the title of Chevalier." Said Princess Henrietta.

Roxas nearly scoffed at the situation. From what he remembered, he was the one that did all the work. He defeated Fouquet's golems and secured the staff of destruction/The Forgotten Light, but Louise was taking the credit simply because she was a noble. Not that he minded that much, but he found it rather strange that nobles got all these special privileges just because of a title.

Louise bowed to the queen. "It is an honor to accept the title from you Princess."

Henrietta smiled down at her childhood friend before she turned to Roxas. "Thank you so much for what you have done as well, brave familiar. Would you please take a vow to protect my dear friend?" she asked as she extended her hand.

Roxas blinked a few times before he raised an eyebrow. He stared between the princess and her hand a few times, having no idea what she was getting at nor what she expected him to do.

"Princess! You can't honor him with that. He is just a lowly familiar." Louise said, causing Roxas to growl. Even though they had turned a new leaf, Louise's attitude didn't change that much. She still insulted him frequently and attempted to order him around. However, she did tone it down a bit and they would occasionally have a decent conversation. But on occasions, she would revert back to her old self, especially when she was trying to impress someone of high social standing.

"Louise." Henrietta said calmly, though Roxas could tell she was a little miffed as well. "You familiar deserves as much. I know how he contributed to the capture of Fouquet. He has done more than enough to deserve this." She said before she looked at Roxas expectantly, her hand still extended toward him.

Roxas continued to stare at the hand in confusion before he looked up at Henrietta. "I…don't understand. What do you want?"

Louise roughly grabbed his coat and forced him closer. "This is a great honor. The Princess wants you to take a vow to protect me. She is giving you permission to kiss her."

Roxas raised his brow again. "I need permission to kiss her?"

"Yes!" louse snarled.

Roxas was so lost. Why would he need permission to kiss Henrietta? He never gave permission when Louise forcefully kissed him, or when Siesta and Ellie kissed him on the cheek. They just went ahead and did it. Not that he minded though because he rather enjoyed the gesture, but why did he need permission to kiss the princess? And why did he have to kiss her in the first place. Just what did a kiss mean?

"Hurry up! You are being rude to the princess." Louise said as she elbowed him in the ribs.

Roxas really didn't want to be rude to one of his friends, but where was he supposed to kiss her? Louise kissed him on the lips while Siesta and Ellie kissed his cheek…Well; it was three to one, so majority rules, right?

Roxas walked up to the princess, completely ignoring her hand as he gently cupped her chin. Henrietta eyes widened as he gently turned her head and gently pecked her right on the cheek. Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, unsure if he was doing this right, so he quickly pulled away with a small embarrassed blush on his face.

He glanced up at Henrietta's face, only to see her eyes wide and her mouth dropped open. It caused him to panic a bit. Did he do something wrong? What did she want him to do?

"What! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Louise yelled as she flailed her arms about.

Roxas frowned as he glanced at her. "What did I do wrong? You basically commanded me to do it."

Henrietta cleared her throat as a healthy blush dusted her cheeks. She gave a small, yet nervous smile. "It seems you are very unfamiliar without customs."

"That is an understatement."

"I am SO sorry Princess Henrietta. My stupid familiar disrespected you. I will take any punishment necessary." She said as she bowed before the princess.

Henrietta giggled a bit as she rested a hand on her shoulder. "Worry not Louise. If he doesn't know our customs, then there is no reason for punishment."

Louise immediately stood before she turned to Roxas. She grabbed the front of his coat and tried to force him on his knees. "You apologize as well! What you did was worth far more honor than you deserve."

Roxas blinked a few times before he easily brushed of her hand. She tried to grab him again, but he simply placed his hand on her forehead and held her back, causing her to flail her arms angrily. "Why do you need me to apologize? You told me to kiss her, and I did. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, I didn't want to offend my friend."

Henrietta giggled a bit as she saw the interaction between her best friend and her familiar. But, in order to get their attention, she gave a small cough into her hand. Naturally, Louise immediately stopped trying to get Roxas on his knees before she turned to the princess. Roxas also turned his attention to her.

"Actually, I have called you here for another reason as well. Since you are a new Chevalier, I have a mission for you." She said with a smile.

"A mission?" Louise said, exited by the fact that the princess already trusted her enough to give her a mission on the first day.

Henrietta nodded. "Do you remember those girls that were in Count Mott's basement?"

Roxas growled. He remembered that day very clearly.

Louise nodded as well, wincing a bit as she thought back on that particular memory.

"How are they?" Roxas asked.

"They are doing much better. Some of them even joined the Musketeers because it is an all-female division." Henrietta said with a smile. However, the next instant, her face turned serious. "But, many of them claimed that Count Mott was not the only one that abused them in their days of captivity. They claimed that another man would sometimes join the Count when he would… have his way with them." Henrietta finished as she gave a small shutter.

Roxas ground his teeth as he tried to suppress his anger. "Ok, so is he taken care of yet?"

Henrietta gave a long sigh before she looked up at them. "No. It is unfortunate and extremely unfair, but because of his status as the royal tax collector, the testimony of commoners is not sufficient evidence to put him behind bars."

Roxas growled as he clenched his fists. "You can't be serious."

"Roxas!" Louise snapped. "Calm down and let the princess finish."

"Thank you Louise." Henrietta said before she turned to Roxas. "Believe me, I want nothing more than to march my musketeers down into Tristania and arrest Turenne, but the royal court would never find him guilty based on the testimony of a few commoners."

Roxas gave a frustrated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ok, so what are we going to do about it?"

Henrietta gave a small grin. "I need both of you to go undercover in Tristania and see if you can find any evidence that supports those girl's claim. The courts may not believe the commoners, but they will most definitely believe your words Louise."

Immediately, Louise approached the Princess and bowed. "Of course Princess. It is an honor to be trusted with this mission, even though I have just become a Chevalier. My familiar and I are honored to be of service." She said before she turned to glare at Roxas. "What are you waiting for, bow down."

"It's quite alright Louise." Henrietta said as she looked at Roxas with a small blush. "As unorthodox as it was, he did vow to keep you safe. So I will trust you two with this mission. Agnes will supply you with the mission funds on your way out. You should take this as well." She said as she handed Louise a small scroll. "Here is a write from the palace. This document will prove your status as nobility when words are not enough."

"Of course Princess." Louise said as she stood on her feet. She retrieved the paper before viscously turning to Roxas. "Let's go!"

Roxas turned to leave, but Henrietta stopped him. "Louise, please go retrieve your funds. I want to ask your familiar a few questions."

Louise halted in her tracks. She turned and looked between Roxas and Henrietta a few times. "He can't be trusted to stay with you alone Princess. Don't you remember what he just did?"

Henrietta smiled. "Trust me Louise, I will not be forgetting anytime soon. But Roxas has done more than enough to gain my trust. Now, do you trust me when I tell you that it will be alright?"

Louise opened and closed her mouth a few times before she turned to Roxas. "If I hear that you have done anything to her, I swear I will find a way to lock you up so you never see the light of day again. You hear me!" She said as threatening as she could.

"Whatever."

Louie stomped out the door, leaving Henrietta and Roxas standing there alone. Henrietta cleared her throat to get Roxas's attention. "Roxas, I know that Louise can be a bit brash sometimes, but please be patient with her. She has been through a lot in her life."

"I know." Roxas said simply before he turned to the princess. "If there is one thing I am learning while being her familiar, it is patience." He said before he gave a sigh. "But sometimes, she makes it so hard to stay by her side."

Henrietta giggled softly. "Then it's a good thing I had you take a vow to protect her. She is one of the few people that I can actually trust and I would be devastated if anything happened to her."

Roxas stared at Henriette for a few seconds. "Henrietta, what did I do wrong? Why did you and Louise act like that after I kissed you, even though Louise told me to do it?"

"Well…" she started as she bit the inside of her cheek. "She meant a kiss on the hand."

"Why would I kiss your hand?" Roxas asked. "It's so confusing. What is a kiss supposed to mean?"

Henrietta was staring at him for the longest time, not really sure that she heard his question correctly. "You…done know what a kiss means?"

"Not really."

"How?"

"There are a lot of things I don't know…and many more things that I don't understand." He said solemnly.

Henrietta could not understand what Roxas was talking about. How could he not know these things? It was basic human instinct. "Roxas, haven't you ever had a parent that would kiss you goodnight? A Lover? Or even a friend?"

"I never had parents. My only friends before I was summoned where a lot like me. I am not sure if they understood either." Roxas said. He realized that Axel had memories of his previous life, but he never really shared them, so Roxas didn't really know what Axel understood.

Henrietta scrunched her eyebrows as she looked at him in pity. "I guess I can understand then. You never had anyone to show you what love is while growing up. Is that correct?"

"I…I guess. Then could you please explain? What is Love?"

This was something that Henrietta was not expecting from this conversation. She had only planned to ask him to be patient with Louise despite her attitude, but then it took a turn in the most complicated way. How in the word did this boy not understand what love was? She saw him rush to protect his friends, face down dangerous foes to keep her safe and even heard stories of him rushing into Count Mott's estate and defeating everyone there just to protect one of his friends. Did he really not understand why he did all of that?

Finally, Henrietta gave a sigh. "I don't think anyone really understand what love is, Roxas." She said with a smile. "Love is more of a feeling that is completely unique to the other emotions. It drives you to protect those you care about. I know you have felt it."

Roxas felt his eyes widen as something clicked in his brain. "Is it because…of love that I want to protect them?"

"Think about it like this, Roxas. How do you feel when you spend time with them? How would you feel if any of them got hurt?"

Roxas thought about it for a while. He spent a lot of time with Siesta, Tabitha, Kirche, and Louise. He was happy when he was with them...Well, maybe not as much when Louise would bicker with him, but just the thought of anything happening to them caused his chest to tighten.

Henrietta saw an array of emotions cross Roxas's face. It really surprised her that he was thinking about this so hard. He truly didn't know what love was.

"You see Roxas. It's because you love and care for them that you want to protect them."

Roxas paused as he thought about it some more. He finally looked up at her and nodded. "I think I understand…But what does love and kissing has to do with each other?"

Henrietta blushed again. This conversation was spiraling out of control. "Um…A kiss can be a sign of love…"

"Then why did you want me to kiss you hand? Is that a sign of love?"

"No-um…" Henrietta stumbled. This was getting really difficult. "Actually, a kiss can mean a lot of different things." She said before giving a defeated sigh. "It is too complicated to explain all at once. If you truly want to figure it out, then keep doing what you are doing. Understanding will come with experience."

Roxas blinked a few times before he nodded. It made sense because everything he learned so far about emotions, he had to experience. And this was no different. However, Henrietta did clear a few things up for him.

"Ok then. Thank you Henrietta. I always wondered why I wanted to protect my friends from danger. I never want to feel the hurt of loss ever again. But now I understand that I felt that hurt in the first place because I cared for the person I lost." He said as he though back on the strange girl that kept appearing in his memories, and how his chest tightened every time he saw her face. "If there is nothing else, I will head out with Louise. We will find this Turenne and make him pay for what he has done." Roxas said as he turned and headed for the door.

"Roxas, can I ask one more question?" Henrietta asked causing Roxas to turn toward her. "Why don't you know what love is? Usually that's something that comes natural to people."

Roxas paused, wondering how he was supposed to answer that question before he turned back to the door. "Never had the chance…or the time to learn…I guess." He said as he pulled the door open and walked out, leaving behind a confused Henrietta.

* * *

It was later that same day that Roxas and Louise had entered the small town of Tristania. From the looks of it, nothing had changed much from when they were last there. People were selling items on the side of the road, while countless others were gazing upon the merchandise. Currently, Roxas and Louise were walking down the road, trying to find a place to stay. Roxas was following Louise while she threw a small tantrum about the cost of a hotel.

"I can't believe that hotel cost 200 Écu a night!" she said as she stomped her way down the street.

Roxas groaned as he felt another one of Louise's tantrums coming. "Louise, just find a cheaper hotel."

"I can't! I'm a noble. I can't degrade myself by staying in a commoner's inn!" she fumed.

"Not even if it means accomplishing Henrietta's mission?"

"Gah." Louise said as she stopped. Roxas gave a small grin as he realized her weakness. Louise would complain endlessly about everything, but when it came to the princess, she could never find a retort. She paused for a moment before she whirled around and pointed at Roxas. "Fine, I will find one that we can afford." She said before she turned away and stomped off. Roxas was about to follow her, but Louise spun around and glared at him. "Don't follow me. I permit you to look around, but stay out of trouble!" she snarled before she left.

Roxas stood there in confusion. What did he do this time? True, she had chilled out a great deal since the incident with Fouquet, but sometimes she could still be a pain in the ass. He shook his head as he turned headed down the street in the opposite direction.

"That girl can never be pleased." He said to himself as he wandered the streets for a while, browsing the different shops and stands for anything interesting. He found a few potions shops that were pretty cool, but nothing that would be any use for him. Still, the types of potions he saw were quite strange. There were some healing potions, but Roxas knew that nothing could match the expertise of the moogles, so he avoided them.

But then again, there were other potions that did a variety of things. Some of the merchants claimed that there products could do anything from instant luck, to even forcing someone to fall in love with you.

That last one caused Roxas to raise an eyebrow. It was possible to force someone to fall in love with you? What was that supposed to mean? Henrietta said love was supposed to come natural, so why would you need something like that?

Roxas shook his head as he walked to a few different stands and admired the handy work of home-made necklaces, rings, and other artifacts that people were trying to sell. Each merchant claimed that there was some sort of magical buff that went with each accessory, but there was nothing that Roxas really wanted.

Suddenly, Roxas felt a small tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see a small girl with brown hair. She had a small fistful of his sleeve in her hand as she looked up at him with her bright green eyes. For some reason, she seemed really familia-

"Wait a second…" Roxas said as he recognized that small face. "Ellie?"

The small girl attached to his sleeve gave a wide smile. Her eyes lit up as she beamed at him. "It is you!" she exclaimed before she launched herself up, firmly wrapping her arms and legs around him as she squealed.

"Um…" Roxas said as he blinked a few times. This small girl was latched onto him like a barnacle. He stood there like a rock until he brought his hand up and awkwardly patted the girl on the back. "Its…good to see that you're doing well, Ellie." Roxas said as he tried to peel the girl off his body. However, that was much easier said than done as she squealed and latched on tighter.

"I didn't think I would ever see you again. I didn't even get to learn your name!" The little girl said as she released her hold on the nobody. She slid to the ground before she looked up at him with a small, but adorable pout on her face.

Roxas couldn't help it. He smiled down at the girl before he ruffled her hair, causing her to laugh and playfully bat his hand away. "Sorry about that. I had other things that I needed to do."

"Ellie!"

Roxas turned to see two other women racing down the street. One of them, he recognized as Ellie's mother, but the other one he didn't know.

Just as they approached, the mother gave an uneasy glance at Roxas before she recognized his face. Immediately, the skeptical look vanished before it was replaced by a look of shock. "It's you! You're that boy!" she said as she pointed at him.

"Yeah, it's nice to see you as well; ummm…I never got you name last time though." He said as he bashfully scratched the back of his head.

Ellie's mother smiled. "Don't worry about it. We had other things on our mind last time. My name is Emmy."

"Roxas." He said simply as he looked between Emmy and Ellie. "It's good to see that you two are doing well."

"Ahem"

Roxas, Ellie, and Emmy looked to the last girl who was standing there with her hands on her hips, obviously not liking the fact that she had no idea what was going on.

Emmy laughed a bit. "Roxas, this is my other daughter, Amy." She said before she turned to the girl. "Amy, this is Roxas. He was the boy that saved your sisters life."

Roxas looked at this new girl. She looked like an older version of Ellie, but with longer brown hair. She was looking Roxas up and down with her hands on her hips. "So, he is a noble then?"

"I-" Emmy started before she looked at Roxas. "I'm not sure. Are you a noble?"

Roxas shook his head. "Nope." He said simply.

Amy then smiled. "Then we won't have a problem. I must thank you for saving my sister though. I wasn't there because I had to work."

"And it was a good thing too. Count Mott would have probably taken you to be one of his mistresses." Emmy said as she looked over to her eldest daughter.

Roxas growled a bit at the mention of that man's name, but luckily, no one heard it.

"Yeah, I suppose. But if I saw what he did to Ellie, I would have probably attacked him."

"It doesn't matter. It's all in the past now." Emmy said before she turned back to Roxas. "So, what brings you around here Roxas?"

"Just passing through town, I guess. My sister and I are looking for a place to stay for a few days." He said, using the cover that he and Louise had come up with earlier.

Amy's eyes brightened. "Then I have a great idea. I work for an inn that is not too far from here. They are pretty cheap and will even let you stay free if you work."

Emmy pursed her lip in distaste at the mention of the Inn. "As much as I don't like that place, we do need the extra money."

Amy turned to her mother. "C'mon mom, those dresses are so CUTE!" she said. "And the other girls just love Ellie."

"I like that place too Mom. Mr. Scarron is a funny man." Ellie chimed in.

Roxas looked at the family for a second before clearing his throat. "So they have rooms available?" he asked, causing Amy to nod. "Well, could you put in a word for us? We may need it after all."

"Of course! After what you did for Ellie, it's the least I could do for you, handsome." She said with a wink.

"Umm…Its Roxas."

* * *

It was later in the evening that Roxas was looking around for Louise near the middle of the town. The sun was setting, casting a fiery glow across the city. Roxas would have loved to watch the sunset, but he really needed to find Louise. It didn't take that long though because pink hair really stood out in a crowd. He found her sitting next to a large fountain in the middle of town.

"Louise." He called, causing her to turn toward him. She then immediately turned away, refusing to make eye contact.

"So, how did it go? Did you find a place?"

"…"

"What? I didn't hear you."

"I…"

"Louder please."

"I lost the money in a casino."

…

Roxas gave a huge sigh as he nearly face palmed. He knew he shouldn't have left Louise alone. Why didn't he see this coming? "I can see why the princess wanted me to keep an eye on you." He said causing Louise to shoot him a small glare.

"Be quiet. I didn't see you doing anything about it." She said as she crossed her arms.

"Wrong. I did do something. In fact, I even found us a place to stay."

Louise blinked a few times before she looked over at her familiar. "But we don't have any money. How are we supposed to pay?"

"The way everyone else does, work." Roxas said, enjoying the look of horror that crossed the nobles face.

* * *

Louse was still yelling at Roxas as they walked down the street in the direction of the inn. Amy was nice enough to give him directions, but the walk was far from pleasant as Louise continued to run her mouth. Something about her being a noble…blah…blah…blah…that work is beneath yadda…yadda…yadda…That she wouldn't do it…blah…blah…blah.

Roxas completely ignored her until they reached their destination. He then pulled out his trump card. "Would you rather go back to the Princess and ask for more money?"

"gah!"

"Listen, since we no longer have any money, it would be best if we worked somewhere. Besides, this is a good opportunity to get some information from the public about Turenne. They might know something."

Louise bit the inside of her cheek as she mulled over the idea in her head. Finally, she gave a defeated sigh as she slumped slightly. "I guess you're right. But where is this place anyway?"

Roxas pointed his thumb over his shoulder, directing Louise's gaze to the inn that was right behind him. Immediately her face paled as she read the sign.

"The…The...The…Charming Fairy INN?" she screeched as she pointed a shaking finger at the building.

"You have a better plan?" Roxas asked as he folded his arms. Louise was about to erupt again before a figure burst through the front doors and leaped at Roxas. The small blur crashed into his back, nearly toppling the nobody over before he regained his balance.

"Roxas!" Roxas heard as he felt two arms wrap around his neck, nearly choking him. "You came."

Roxas chuckled as he reached over his shoulder and patted the girl on the head. "Were you waiting for us Ellie?"

"Yep!"

"Oh, so you needed to take me up on the offer after all?" Roxas turned to see Amy walk out of the front door. She was wearing a light green dress that was showing off a generous amount of cleavage. "Ellie has been waiting for you by the door all day hoping you would show up."

"Is that Right Ellie?" Roxas said as he ruffled her hair. "Does that mean you work here too?"

Ellie nodded. "Mr. Scarron was nice enough to get me a job. But he said I had to stay in the back and wash dishes. I am not allowed up front when the doors open."

"And for good reason. We don't know if there are any strange pedophiles and other perverted nobles out there." She said before she looked at Roxas and Louise. "By the way, is that your sister? She's cute."

Louise was standing there with her mouth dropped open. She was pointing at Roxas, who still had the little girl still hanging onto his back. Her eyebrow was twitching uncontrollably as she forced a smile on her face. "Roxas, how…how…how do you know these people?" she stammered out.

Amy threw an arm around Roxas's shoulder, causing Ellie to drop to the ground. Ellie looked up at her elder sister before she puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms. Amy ignored the small girl before she turned her attention to Louise. "Roxas here saved my dear sister's life a little while back." She said before she started to tug Roxas toward the entrance. "Come on in. The other girls are dying to meet you." She turned back to Louise. "You can come in as well…Ummm."

"Louise." Roxas said. From the look on Louise's face, he could tell that she was about to explode.

"Alright then Louise, come with me. You will have to work to if you want to stay here."

Louise mouth opened and closed like a gasping fish. Soon though, she dropped her head in defeat before entering the inn.

Roxas soon found himself surrounded by girls. All of them were wearing similar dresses that were very reveling in some areas. The only difference was the color of each dress. But as soon as he entered the inn, they flocked him, asking questions one after another.

"Amy, is this the guy that Ellie won't shut up about? He's cute."

"What's your name?"

"Are you a mage? How did you heal Ellie?"

"Where did you come from?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Uhhh…" Roxas said as he was bombarded with question. He had no idea what was going on, nor how to handle this situation. "I'm Roxas."

"Alright fairies, calm down and give our gest some room~"

Roxas turned to see a very a new person enter the room. It was a man…Or at least that what Roxas thought he was. This man was wearing the strangest clothes he had ever seen on a man before. His arms were very hairy, along with his chest, but he was wearing very short shorts and a tank top that clung to his skin, showing off his rather ripped muscles.

Roxas continued to stare at this guy, not sure what to make of him. He was waving his hips side to side as he approached. Thinking back to his time in the organization, of all the worlds he had visited in the past, there was absolutely no one to compare this person to.

"Oh, Scarron! This is…" Amy started.

"NOOO~" Scarron exclaimed as she flailed his…entire body around. "I said call me Mi-mademoisellle." He said with a wink. Roxas was beginning to wonder if it was a good choice to stay at this inn.

Amy gave a sigh before she pinched the bridge of her nose. She then pointed at Roxas. "This is Roxas. He saved Ellie's life. He was looking for a place to stay with his sister, so I recommended him here."

Scarron turned to Roxas before his eyes lit up. He nearly danced his way over to the stunned nobody before he gazed into his eyes.

Roxas was fighting the urge to turn and run away as this man continued to stare at him. Thankfully, his gaze turned to Louise, who was looking just as uncomfortable as he was. Finally, he beamed again.

"Of course you can stay, but under one condition~"

* * *

It was later when Roxas found himself in the kitchen. He had removed his coat and gloves so he could wash dishes while Louise was in the main lobby. Roxas nearly broke down in laughter when he saw the mighty Louise in one of those dresses. The look on her face was absolute priceless. It looked like she was using all of her self-control not to explode at any moment. It didn't help that the rest of the waitresses were gushing about how cute she was in that dress, causing her face to flare up in embarrassment. Roxas snickered to himself as he remembered the first time she entered the lobby in that dress. Her eyebrow was twitching uncontrollably and her face was beat red.

His co-dishwasher noticed his snickering before she turned to him.

"What's so funny?" asked the girl.

"It's nothing." Roxas said as he cleared his throat. He then glanced over at her. She was almost as tall as he was. Her hair color was strikingly similar to Siesta's but it was much longer. She was wearing a green dress and an apron. Currently, they both were washing dishes while Ellie was drying them and putting them away.

"You have a cute sister."

"You think so? You have yet to see her when she in angry."

The girl gave a small laugh before sizing up Roxas. Now that he had his coat off, she could see he was wearing a skin-tight black shirt that showed off a decent amount of muscle. He wasn't nearly as bulky as her father, but he was toned to perfection, clearly signifying that he was built for speed.

"Hmmm…" She hummed with a glint in her eyes.

"What?"

"Oh nothing." She said as she went back to washing dishes. "I'm Jessica by the way."

"Roxas."

"Nice to meet you. If you have any questions, just let me know. Ok?" she said with a wink.

"Thanks." Roxas said as he handed a few clean dishes to Ellie, completely oblivious to Jessica's action.

The night went on without much of a problem…besides Louise being her usual temperamental self. She kicked a few customers when they said her chest was flat, yelled at a few more, and even slapped a man when he touched her. Roxas was able to catch a few glimpses as he continued to wash dishes. There were a few times when customers got really angry, but Scarron was very skilled at handling those people. Seeing him try to calm them down in his very unique way was actually hilarious.

Almost every time he glanced into the restaurant, Roxas struggled not to laugh. Knowing Louise's personality, it was just too funny to watch her try and serve commoners.

"Would you stop doing that?" barked Jessica as Roxas snickered again after he just cleared a table. He made sure that Louise was somewhere else when he did because he still didn't want her to find out about the runes being removed. "What in the world is so funny?"

"My sister is very prideful. She is not use to serving people, so I just find it funny."

"Ohh?" Jessica said as she looked out the kitchen opening. She saw Louise dump a glass of wine on another customer while Scarron frantically tried to clean up the mess and apologize to the man. Jessica laughed as well. "I can tell."

"Yeah, it's pretty funny." He said as he turned to his fellow dishwasher. "Hey Jessica, my sister and I have been traveling for a while now and we are looking for a place to settle. But, most of the places we go, there are corrupt nobles that oppress the commoners. Is that much of a problem around here?"

"Hmm" Jessica thought as she placed a finger on her chin. "Well, there was Count Mott, as you already know, but no one has seen him for a while."

Roxas gave a knowing smile before he nodded.

"But there is this other noble named Turenne that has been causing a lot of problems with the commoners. He comes here every so often as well. All of the other girls really hate him because he comes here, touches us and never leaves a tip."

Roxas blinked a few times when he heard that name. That was the exact man they were looking for. If Turenne came to this inn every once in a while, then that would make their mission so much easier. He gestured for Jessica to continue.

"We can't do anything about it because he is the royal tax collector. If we displease him, then he will raise the taxes to an amount that we can't pay. He will run us out of business, and we could be thrown in jail as well." She said before her eyes narrowed. "But that is not the worst of it. There have been rumors that Turenne started to forcefully take commoners to be his mistresses ever since Count Mott disappeared."

Roxas eyes widened before he ground his teeth in anger. "Are you serious?"

Jessica just nodded her head before she gave a defeated sigh. "In the end, there is nothing we can do about it. Who would believe the words of a commoner over a noble?"

CRASH

Roxas looked at his hands. He accidently gripped a plate so hard that it shattered. A few pieces of glass cut his skin slightly causing specks of blood to leak from his palm. "Oops, Sorry about that."

"Geese, what are you doing? Let me take a look." She said as she grasped his hand to see a few bleeding cuts.

"Don't worry about it." Roxas said as he gently pulled his hand away. "Cure."

Immediately, his hand was surrounded by a green light. Jessica watched in amazement as the cuts began to disappear. It only took a few seconds before the cuts were gone. He then washed his hands in one of the basins.

"Roxas, is that the same spell you used on me?" Ellie asked as she bounced on balls of her feet in excitement.

Roxas smiled as he flicked a few drops of water at her, causing her to squeak and wipe the cold liquid off her face. "Yes, but the one I used on you was much more powerful."

Jessica stared at him for a while. "You really did save Ellie's life. For a while, we thought she was just blowing hot air, but you really can use magic."

Roxas nodded as he went back to washing the dishes, ignoring Ellie as she puffed her cheeks out at him.

"So, how did you lose your aristocrat status?"

"Lose my aristocrat status?"

"Yeah" Jessica said as she joined him by the water. She looked at the basin where Roxas washed his hands before picking it up and giving it to Ellie. "Could you be a dear and refill this for me?" she asked the little girl.

Ellie beamed up at Jessica. "Yep!" she said as she grabbed the basin. She then gave a little grin as she dipped her hand in it and flicked the water back at Roxas. Once she saw Roxas flinch as the water hit gently hit his back, she gave a triumphant laugh before she raced out the back door.

Jessica giggled slightly as she glanced at Roxas. "She really likes you."

Roxas only smiled as he went back to work. Truthfully, he really liked that little girl as well.

"So?"

"So what?"

"How did you lose your aristocrat status? Obviously you can use magic, so you must have been a noble at some point, Right?"

As Roxas continued to wash dishes he pondered how he was supposed to answer that. "It's personal, but I will just say that we chose to be commoners. We didn't want to be molded like most of the nobles are."

Jessica nearly dropped her plate. "Why would you choose to be commoners? It's the dream of nearly every Plebian to be a noble. It's a great honor."

Roxas looked at Jessica. "Is there any honor is what Count Mott and Turenne do?"

Jessica felt her mouth open and close as she mulled over his words. It was true. Count Mott and Turenne were both despicable. There was no honor in what they had done.

"I find that Scarron has more honor than both of them. He helps people who are in need by offering them housing and a jobs. What do people like Count Mott or Turenne do for anyone besides themselves? And Scarron is a commoner. He does not have money, status, or power, yet he does what he can to help people." Roxas said as he went back to his dishes. "He even gave Louise and me jobs when he didn't even know who we were."

Jessica looked to the ground. She never saw it like that before. It was really nice to hear someone say something like that about her father. Usually, everyone that would work for them would comment on how bizarre he was. They never really saw past his flamboyant nature to see the caring person that he actually was.

She then gave a quiet laugh before turning to Roxas. "At least I know why your sister has such a hard time serving the customers."

* * *

The rest of the night went by without much problem. Louise was sitting on the bed in there room, nearly in shock at what she had done that day. She was sputtering about how humiliated she was and that those commoners should have been honored to be served by a noble such as her. Currently, she was also complaining about the sleeping situation.

"Why do I, a noble, have to sleep in this ragged old place?"

"Give it a rest Louise. Maybe the princess would be curious as to how much complaining you do about this mission."

Louise immediately closed her mouth before glaring at him. "You really like to hang that over my head, don't you?"

"It works at least." He said as he leaned against the wall of the room, his coat being the only thing that would keep him warm that night. "Scarron was nice enough to give us a room, pay us, and even feed us despite the fact that you basically drove away every customer you tried to serve."

Louise flushed in embarrassment before she glared at him again. "Shut up. You seem to be enjoying yourself, talking with that girl."

"I did." He said, causing Louise to fume. "Speaking of which, I managed to get some information out her."

Louise's glare vanished, replaced by a look of curiosity as she sat up a bit straighter. "What did you learn?"

"From what she said, those women were telling the truth about Turenne. According to her, a rumor has gone around that he has been forcefully taking commoners to be his mistresses ever since Count Mott disappeared."

Louise nodded her head as she adopted a thinking pose. "It's a start, but that is not enough evidence to incarcerate him. I would have to be the one to directly hear it from him in order to accuse him of such actions."

"Then we may be in luck." Roxas said as he gave a small yawn. "Jessica also said that he comes here ever so often…" he said as he glanced at Louise. They stared at each other for the longest time before Louise's eyes widened immensely, figuring out what Roxas was getting at.

"NO WAY!" she nearly shouted.

"Do you want to accomplish the mission, or not?"

"Ugh" Louise said as she massaged her temples. "Why do I have to serve that perverted pig?"

"You just need him to somehow fess up, or even admit his crime. You can let me do the rest." Roxas said as he rested his head back against the wall. "Just get some sleep. We don't know how long this will take, and you have another day of serving ahead of you." he gave a small grin, causing Louise face to turn red.

"Shut up!"

* * *

The next day was just as hilarious as the previous. Louise had not learned a thing about service and would constantly cause problems at the inn. It got so bad that Louise was told to actually stand to the side and watch the others preform there duty.

Roxas was doing fine bussing tables and washing dishes. He enjoyed his time in the kitchen with Ellie and Jessica. Amy would occasionally retreat to the kitchen and talk with them during her brake. Mostly, she would brag about all the tips she was getting when giving a little "Extra" service to the customers.

Amy and Jessica would banter back and forth with each other, but it was never really hostile. It was easy to tell that she and Jessica has a friendly rivalry. It was nearly the same kind of rivalry that Sora and Riku had.

Roxas glanced out of the kitchen, only to notice that Louise was standing there, looking slightly disgruntled as she watched the other waitresses do their job. She looked over in his direction, causing their eyes to meet for a brief moment. Roxas then did something that he knew would piss her off.

He laughed softly at her.

He was right on the money because her face immediately flared up in anger. She gripped an empty wine bottle from a table and hurled it at him, though he saw it coming a mile away and simply tilted his head, letting it fly over his shoulder.

The bottle flew past Amy and Jessica while flying over Ellie's head. It finally crashed into a few empty boxes that were stacked next to the back door. The boxes toppled over and the bottle shattered into pieces once it hit the ground, making a lot of noise.

Soon, everyone in the entire restaurant was staring al Louise, including Jessica, Scarron, Amy, and Ellie. Louise's face immediately turned red from embarrassment before she looked back to the ground. It didn't take long before everyone was back to what they were doing. Scarron was going around apologizing for the noise while the waitresses were working very hard to keep the customers happy.

Jessica, on the other hand, frowned as she got a broom and began sweeping up the pieces of glass from off the ground. Eventually, she emptied the glass into a small bag before placing it in a small basin. She then turned to Ellie.

"Ellie, would you take this out please? We also need this basin filled with water."

"Yep!" Ellie said as she took the basin from Jessica. She was about to leave out the back door, but it was blocked by the empty boxes.

Jessica gave a sigh. "Just take it out the front door. We will clean these boxes up later." She said, causing Ellie to nod as she exited the kitchen. Jessica then turned to Roxas, who gave a small sigh before he went back to washing dishes.

"You deal with that often?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

Business went along as usual until the doors suddenly burst open. The staff and other customers immediately turned toward the entrance, only to pale once they recognized who was coming in, especially the waitresses. The sudden change in the restraint atmosphere caused Roxas to peak through the kitchen opening.

There stood an incredibly fat man in fancy green clothing. He was surrounded by other nobles that seemed to be his guards.

Roxas didn't think it was possible, but once that man came in, Scarron's every-so-happy face turned into a sad frown before he approached the man.

"Turenne, good to see you again. How have you been?" He said as he plastered a smile on his face.

"I have been doing much better Scarron. But lately, I have been pretty busy and would like a meal and some…" He turned to a few of the waitresses before he licked his lips. "Pleasurable company."

Many of the waitresses cringed before they returned to serving the other customers, hoping that Turenne would leave.

Roxas stared at the man before his eyes narrowed. "That is supposed to be Turenne?" Roxas asked Jessica, who was standing beside him.

Jessica nodded as she took a step back and moved behind Roxas. "That is him. I just pray that the rumors are false, because if they are true, there is nothing we can do if he suddenly wants to take one of us." She said through ground teeth.

Roxas clenched his teeth as he stared at the man. Somehow, Louise would have to find a way to get him to admit his crime. But how?

Scarron put on a hopeful smile. "I am so sorry, but we are absolutely busy today. Please come later."

Turenne looked around before he gave a wide smile. "You're busy? But I don't see a single person in this place." He said before he snapped his fingers. His guards all raised there wands, causing all the commoners to pale and stand from there tables. They knew the drill. When Turenne would show up, you would have to leave.

Roxas watched as everyone was filed out before he clenched his fists. The fat man sat on the table and looked around expectantly. Just like how the customers were gone, the waitresses seemed to have vanished as well.

Roxas blinked a few times before he looked over his shoulder. There he saw Jessica, Amy, and the rest of the waitresses all in the kitchen, hiding from the man. He then turned his attention back to Turenne and Scarron. Turenne was tapping his foot impatiently as Scarron was doing his best to make the man happy. Finally though, Turenne snapped.

"IS ANYONE GOING TO SERVE THE ROYAL TAX COLLECTOR?" He shouted as he turned his attention to the kitchen. No one refused to budge from there spot.

Roxas looked over at Louise, who glanced over at him as well. Roxas nodded over in Turenne's direction, hoping she would get the hint. He saw her grind her teeth together before breathing deeply, trying to swallow her pride for the sake of the mission.

"SOMEONE COME AND SERVE ME!" he shouted again, still no one moved.

Louise was just about to walk out of the kitchen when the front door suddenly opened. In popped a small girl with a basin of water. Roxas immediately panicked as he recognized her.

It was Ellie.

The little girl looked around in confusion at how empty the place had gotten since she left. Finally, her gaze fell on Turenne and his men, who were sitting at their tables, staring at her. Ellie immediately paled as she recognized the man.

"Excuse me." She said quietly as she tried to slip past them, making herself as small as humanly possible.

"HOLD ON! Grab her." Turenne said. One of the guards jumped up from his table and roughly grabbed the little girl's arm, causing her to drop the bucket of water and cry out in pain.

"Let me go!" Ellie screamed as she helplessly pulled against the stronger man.

"Bring her over here!" Turenne said as he glared over at the kitchen. The guard began to roughly drag the girl towards the tax collector. "I am tired of coming here over and over again only to wait for someone to serve me. You should be honored that someone like me even comes here. WELL I'M TIRED OF IT."

Roxas clenched his teeth as rage filled his entire being. He was about to stomp out there before he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He viciously looked over to see Louise standing there. "What!" he snarled.

Louise had the same look in her eye as she watched the scene. "This may be our only chance. If he does anything, and I mean anything, it will be enough to incarcerate him." She said, but even though she said that, it was taking all of her self-control to not march out there and land a kick square in Turenne's face.

Turenne grinned before he looked over at the small girl. She was still helplessly beating against the stronger noble as she tried to pull away. "On your knees!"

Ellie was pushed to the floor, landing roughly on her hands and knees in front of the noble. Turenne then reached down and grabbed a handful of her brown hair as he forcefully raised her head so they were looking into each other's eyes. She cried out in pain, but immediately stopped as she saw the look in this man's eyes. She began to shake in fear. He had the most disgusting grin on his face with an even more frightening look in his eyes. Tears started to fall down her face as she stared up helplessly at the man.

"You know…" Turenne said loudly, so everyone could hear. "Count Mott was a good friend of mine. We would always have a wonderful time when we visited his basement."

Louise and Roxas's eyes widened as they realized what he was implying.

"But now that he is gone, I have taken it upon myself to find…new ways of pleasure. But ultimately, his method was the best. So, I decided to follow in his footsteps." He breathed out as he pulled her face closer to his, causing the poor girl to cry out in pain. "Though my collection is not as big as his was, I have already found a few good prospects." He brought his face even closer to hers.

Ellie tried to move away, but Turenne had her hair in a vice grip, keeping her head in place. She could feel his hot breath wash against her face.

"You will have a lot of potential when you grow older. And you are still young so it will be easy to break you before I build you up to be my best sex toy." He breathed a his grin spread further across her face.

The other waitresses watched in horror at what was happening. They were on the verge of rushing out of the kitchen to rescue the poor little girl, not caring about the fact that they were against a noble.

Louise had her mouth dropped open as he saw Turenne boldly claim what he had done, and what he was going to do to the small girl in front of him. She could not believe that a noble would go this far and that commoners had to deal with things like this. It was sickening. It was truly disgusting.

"Alright Roxas, I think I have hea…" Louise started as she looked up at Roxas. The only problem was that he was gone.

Ellie was sobbing as she struggled to get free of Turenne's grip. He chuckled down at her. "You know the best thing about being a noble? I can say all of this and there is nothing you can do about it. After all, who would believe the words of comm-"

Turenne didn't know what hit him. It was just a second ago that he was about to get another toy, one that he could train to his liking. But then, he was met with a massive amount of pain. He felt his nose and part of his cheekbone completely break as a black weapon briefly crossed his vison.

WACK!

Turenne was launched out of his seat, flying through the air before he slammed through the doors of the inn, completely ripping the doors off the hinges.

The inn was completely silent as they looked towards the broken doors. Slowly, they turned there gaze to the person who had attacked Turenne. Most eyes widened as they saw Roxas standing there with his oblivion extended from the swing. No one had even seen him move. He just appeared out of nowhere.

Slowly, Roxas lowered his Keyblade, his teeth grinding together in pure rage over what he had just witnessed. He glanced down at Ellie, who was curled up in a ball on the ground, sobbing her eyes out. Just the sight further fueled his anger.

"How dare you attack Sir Turenne!" one of the guards shouted as he raised his staff. Roxas slowly turned to look at the man. The guard immediately paled at the amount of rage that was in those crystal blue eyes.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light before the Oathkeeper appeared in his other hand. The guard pulled himself together before extending his staff, ready to cast a spell. Before he could even utter a single syllable, the guard found his staff snapped in half by a flash of white steel. Fear entered the guards being as he saw Roxas standing there glaring at the man. There was a flash of black before the man's was thrown roughly through one of the windows.

"Attack!" another guard said as he and the rest of Turenne's men surrounded Roxas. They began to chant there spells, but Roxas wouldn't let the finish. He glanced around at his surrounding enemies before he raised his Oathkeeper.

"Fire" he said as he swung the white weapon. Immediately, a stream of fire erupted from the Keyblade before it encircled around the Nobody. Everyone within range was hit with the stream before they screamed out in pain. They jumped away from Roxas before running out of the inn and into the street, rolling on the ground in an attempt to put themselves out.

Roxas walked out the front door to see Turenne and the rest of his mean laying on the ground, groaning in pain. Most were singed because of the fire spell, while Turenne was holding the front of his face, blood seeping between his fingers. The men had finally put themselves out, but were lying on the ground, gasping in pain.

Roxas stepped out of the building glaring at Turenne, who had managed to push himself to his knees. He looked up at Roxas. "H-HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO A NOBLE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I CAN DO TO YOU?" He shouted as he pulled his wand out of his robes.

"No" Roxas said dangerously before he quickly dashed over to the man, swinging his Keyblade at Turenne's hand. Turenne screamed out in pain as his hand snapped like a twig, causing him to drop his wand. Roxas stomped the wand half before he pointed the oblivion at Turenne. "But I know what I am going to do to you." He said as he raised his Keyblade. Turenne could only look up in horror, unable to do anything about the current situation.

"Roxas, Stop!"

Roxas paused before he looked behind him. He saw that Louise was standing there, glaring down at Turenne as he sat there holding his hand in pain.

"Why? You saw what he did! He does not deserve to exist." Roxas barked.

Louise shook her head as she approached the Nobody. She gently placed a hand on his arm. "Your right, but there are fates worse than death to a noble. We have seen and heard enough for him to lose his status as a noble. If you kill him now, you will only release him from his punishment." She said as she glared down at Turenne. She then reached into her dress and pulled out the write from the palace, showing it to Turenne.

Suddenly, Turenne's pain was tiny in comparison to the amount of panic he felt. He then realized that what he just said was heard by a noble. One that apparently had a connection to the palace based on the write.

"Please! Anything but that! I will do anything if you keep quiet about this. Here, take this and please keep quiet about it." Turenne said as he pulled out a massive bag of gold. His men seemed to be in the same situation as they too pulled out giant bags of money.

Roxas seethed. "You think this is enough after what you have done." He said as he kicked Turenne to the ground. "After what you were about to do?" Roxas swung his Keyblade again, smacking Turenne over the head and knocking him unconscious. He then turned to the rest of the guards, who were trying to escape. It only took a few more swings of the Keyblade before they too were unconscious.

Roxas stood there, breathing deeply as he tried to calm his anger. He was VERY tempted to end Turenne there, but the fear and panic in his eyes at the thought of losing his nobility was enough for him. He turned to see Scarron and the rest of the Fairies staring both him and Louise. "I will let Princess Henrietta know what happened. Agnes will be here to clean up the mess." He said, referring to Turenne and his men.

Scarron nodded dumbly as he surveyed the scene. The other waitresses as well, through Roxas noted that Amy was not in the crowd. Slowly, he walked back to the inn and gently pushed past the other fairies. He spotted Amy sitting on the floor with Ellie, who was crying her eyes out as she clung to her older sister. Amy was trying desperately to calm the child down, but it was not working. Roxas felt his insides turn as he approached.

"Roxas!" Amy said as she saw him approach, a few tears falling down her face.

Roxas knelt down next to them. He reached over and placed a gentle hand on Ellie's head. She flinched a bit before she looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face.

"He is taken care of. Turenne won't be coming here anymore. I promise."

"R-R-Roxas." Ellie cried as she gently pushed away from her sister and wrapped her little arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder.

Roxas bit his lip, as he gently wrapped one of his arms around her while stroking her hair with the other. A couple tears fell down his cheeks as well. It killed him to see her in such a broken state. Everyone else soon gathered around to offer words of comfort to the poor girl.

* * *

It was the next morning when Agnes came with her musketeers to gather Turenne and his batch of nobles. Roxas had managed to use the Corridor of darkness to teleport to the palace and explain everything that happened to the princess. Louise stayed behind to watch over the nobles and make sure none of them got away.

Turenne was screaming in fear as he was forcefully shoved into one of the prison carriages along with his followers.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" He screamed before the door slammed shut in his face, curtesy of Agnes. The leader of the musketeers then turned to Roxas and Louise.

"You both did very well. With your testimony, I will make sure this scum will land a cell right next to Count Mott."

"Turenne mentioned that he was starting his own collection as well…do you think…" Louise started.

"We will search his entire estate to see if we find anything. If he did the same thing as Count Mott, then…" Agnes left a dangerous feeling in the air as she turned to the carrage and hoisted herself to the front. "Oh, and Roxas."

Roxas looked up to see a small smile on Agnes's face.

"Some of those girls down in Mott's basement have joined my musketeers. They didn't come here today, but they send their thanks for what you did." She said as she whipped the reins, causing the horses to take off with the carriage. Roxas and Louise watched as the carriage rolled down the dusty road.

Suddenly, Roxas felt something grab both of his arms before he was forcibly dragged into the Inn. Louise snapped her attention to the entrance, but Roxas had already disappeared behind the doors.

Roxas was roughly sat down at one of the tables before he was surrounded by the entire staff. Nearly all of them were cheering about the downfall of Turenne. He felt someone sit on both sides of him and grab his arms. Glanced over, he noticed that Jessica and Amy had sat themselves on either side of him, holding his arms captive. He raised his eyebrows as he tried to pull them loose, but both girls refused to budge.

"Roxas, what in the world just happened? Who are you and Louise really?" Asked Jessica.

Roxas gave a sigh as he looked across the table. Louise had just entered the building and was glaring at him with her arms crossed. "Well, it's not like we have anything to hide anymore. Why don't you tell them Louise?"

Everyone turned their attention to Louise. She hesitated for a moment before giving a defeated sigh. "I guess you're right. The princess heard a few rumors about Turenne and asked us to go undercover to investigate. A commoner's testimony may not be enough to condemn him, but another noble is."

Amy then looked over at Roxas with a frown. "So you two are nobles then."

Roxas shook his head. "No, Louise is the noble. I am just a familiar."

"A human familiar? I have never seen one before." Jessica said as she smiled at him. "We heard what the guard said about Turenne landing a cell next to Count Mott. What was that about?"

Roxas growled a bit as he remembered the story. "Well, Count Mott forcefully took one of my friends to be his mistress. I stormed his estate and defeated him. But in doing so, Louise, I, and a few of my friends discovered what was in his basement. It was enough evidence for him to lose his status as a noble and land himself in prison."

"You're kidding me! That is why no one has seen him for a while? That was you?" Amy asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah. We all worked hard to get those women out of his basement. They were the reason that the princess sent us undercover. They claimed that Turenne was a factor in their suffering."

The entire staff cringed. "Wow, so the princess really does care about what happens to us." Amy stated as she adopted a thoughtful pose.

"She really does care for everyone in this country, nobles and commoners alike."

"That's enough of that kind of talk fairies~" Scarron said as he clapped his hands. "Today is a wonderful day. Turenne and his men left behind their money and no one said it wasn't for tips. So we are going to close today for a celebration~"

"YEAH!"

* * *

Roxas and Louise stayed for a little bit to enjoy the celebration with the rest of the staff. Louise was surrounded by the rest of the waitresses as they bombarded her with questions and gave thanks for what she had done. Louise was a bit embarrassed by all the attention and praise. Surprisingly, she acted more shy than proud.

Roxas sat alone at one of the tables as he sipped a glass of water. The past couple days had sent his emotions on a roller coaster…but that was exactly why he was pondering at the moment.

He was a nobody, a being that was supposed to be without emotion. But it was obvious that he had felt things ever since he had got here. Anger, Rage, happiness, contentment…Hurt. All of these things he had experience. When he saw Ellie crying there, he could not take it. The hurt was so overwhelming that even he shed a few tears.

But why was he even feeling in the first place? Wasn't he supposed to not have a heart?

Roxas thought back to his last conversation with axel on top of twilight tower.

 _"_ _You know, I have been thinking about what Namine said." Axel said as he turned to Roxas. "Roxas, are you sure you don't have a heart? Is it possible that all of us have one? You, Me, Her? Or is that just wishful thinking?"_

 _Roxas thought about it. What Axel said did make sense, but… "I don't know. I can't just…look inside. But if there was something, then we would feel it, right?_

Roxas sat there as he thought about it. He did feel something, so did that mean something was there? Did he have a heart? If he did have a heart, then why were they taught to believe that nobody's couldn't have one?

"Roxas?"

Roxas was pulled from his thoughts as he saw Louise standing there. "What is it?"

"Our mission is complete. There is really no reason to stay here any longer."

"AWW!" the rest of the fairy's whined. "You can't stay a bit?"

Louise shook her head as she blushed in embarrassment. "We have to report back to the princess."

"She's right." Roxas said as he stood up. Suddenly, he felt a small tug on his coat. He looked down to see Ellie standing there, looking up at him with a small pout on her face.

"You are really leaving Roxas?" asked Ellie.

"Yeah" he said, causing her to look down. Her lower lip trembling a bit.

"Will we ever see you again?" she asked.

Roxas smiled as he reached down and ruffled her hair. "I am sure we will, but remember this." He said as he knelt down so he was eye level with her. "What's important isn't how much we see each other, but how often we think about each other." He said, remembering what Hayner said to him back in twilight town.

Ellie bit her lower before she wrapped her arms around his neck for a few seconds. She then pulled away and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Roxas. You're the best!"

"AWW! That's so damn cute!" Amy squeaked as she saw Roxas stand. She then went over and wrapped him in a hug of her own. "Thank you for saving my sister."

Roxas felt his heart rate pick up a bit before he nodded. "Your welcome. I will see you all around sometime.

Amy released him, but his personal bubble was again invaded by one last person. Jessica had also hugged him from behind. Roxas felt his face grow warm at the amount of physical contact he had just received. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Jessica grinning.

"Don't forget to visit Roxas. You are the Hero of the Fairies."

A hero.

That was something that Sora was called many times during his adventure. But now, someone had called him that and it left a warm feeling in his heart.

"I will visit sometime. I promise."

Louise rolled her eyes a bit before she roughly grabbed his sleeve and dragged him out of the inn. "Let's get going!"

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yeah. A bit dark. Sorry about that. Sometimes bad things happen. However, it is because of bad things that we truly learn to appreciate the good. That is why I made this scene the way I did. I wanted to try and capture the emotion of that scene. Truthfully, it was very difficult to write. Anyway, how did I do? Did you like it? Was it to dark? If some of you are getting offended, should I change this to a rated M fic? There are some dark scenes, but they won't appear very often, but I will leave that decision to you guys. Leave a review and let me know. Thank you for 200+ wonderful reviews. I am very grateful and it is always something I look forward to reading after a hard day at work. Please review and look forward to the next update.**

 **Until then, Later!**


	9. Chapter 9: Confusion

**Authors Note: Sup guys. Thank you for all your feedback on the last chapter. Truthfully, the votes were about even as to who wanted me to change it to M and who wanted me to keep it at T. But after much thought, I decided to change it to M because some of the content in the upcoming chapters may not be T friendly. Truthfully, it also depends on where the story goes. I do have a rough draft, but the more I edit it, the more different the story becomes. I even had a pairing planned, buuuttt even that may change.**

 **A lot of you are wondering about pairings as well. I have to ask now. What do you guys think? I am going to give a small spoiler right now so if you don't want to read, skip this next little section. I am not pairing Roxas and Louise because I already have plans for Louise. Roxas is going to be her good friend, but not romantically involved. That being said, as long as Roxas is acting as her familiar, she will still get a bit jealous of him paying attention to other girls. So sorry if you wanted to see a Louise X Roxas pairing but there are plenty of other crossovers that have Louise paired with the main character.**

 **But yeah, as always, thank you for your reviews on the story. I read every single one of them and they give me a huge motivation to keep writing. Just a quick question, many of you ask questions regarding future events of the story. Do you want me to give you a PM with an answer, or is it just a rhetorical way to stimulate thought about the story. I really don't like giving out spoilers, but if you really want it…and I mean REALLY want it, then I guess I can give a few insights over a PM. I just don't find it fun when you already know what is going to happen in a story, but that is just me.**

 **Warning...Why am I so bad at spelling even though I have spell check?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 9

Roxas watched as two youths engaged each other in a heated battle. One of them was the so-called Xehanort that he had seen in his previous dream, but the other one he didn't know. He watched in amazement as each person summoned a Keyblade before they clashed with each other. Sparks flew as the weapons collided, each Keyblade wielder displaying their own unique form of combat.

Roxas kept watching the battle before he noticed someone else observing the fight as well. He recognized the character as Master Kida, the person he saw from his last dream. He was watching the fight with his arms crossed, a small frown marring his face.

As Roxas went back to watching the battle rage on, he noticed a dangerous glint in Xehanort's eye. Suddenly, Xehanort leaped a small distance away from the other youth before he drew back his left hand. Roxas's eyes widened when a mass of dark energy began to pool within his palm.

"Dark Firaga." Xehanort said dangerously before he threw the mass of darkness at his opponent.

The other boys eyes widened a bit before he took a deep breath. A bright light began to radiate from off his body, intensifying to the point that it seemed to light up the whole room. Immediately, the boy launched himself at the mass of darkness before swinging his Keyblade at it. Immediately the ball was cut clean in half before it evaporated in the light. The youth then glared at Xehanort.

Xehanort gave a sinister smile before his being began to radiate with dark energy. The temperature of the entire room began to drop as the darkness began to become more potent. The room was torn between light and darkness, as if it was trying to decide which side it was on.

"That is ENOUGH!"

Both Xehanort and the other boy turned to master Kida, who was glaring over at them. Immediately, the light and dark aura vanished from around both of the boys. Both Keyblades vanished before both of them turned to master Kida.

Master Kida was walking toward them with a glare on his face. He stood between them before he crossed his arms and looked over at one of the boys. "Eraqus, you did well in harnessing the power of light. Always remember that light is the true source of all power."

"Yes Master Kida" Eraqus said as he gave a small bow.

Kida then turned to Xehanort, his glare intensifying. Xehanort expression didn't change though, keeping a small smile on his face. "Xehanort, how many times do I have to tell you that using the power of darkness is forbidden? Not only have you ignored my orders, you have gone as far as to experiment with its power. Do you realize how dangerous that is? Why can't you understand that there is no room for darkness among the light?"

"Master Kida, you seem to forget that darkness and light balance each other. One cannot exist without the other. It is that reason that my Keyblade…" he said as he let his Keyblade flash into existence. "As well as yours, were meant to wield the darkness while others like Eraqus's Master Defender uses the power of light. I am not like you. I know that there is darkness inside of me, but I don't fear it. I will show you what the power of darkness can do."

Kida shook his head as his expression softened. "This is the reason that I cannot pass you Xehanort. You refuse to see what the darkness can do to you. What it can make you do to those you care about." He said before he turned to Eraqus. "You are the only one that is worthy for the title Eraqus. Congratulations on becoming a true Keyblade master."

Master Eraqus looked between master Kida and Xehanort a few times before he gave a small bow. "Thank you master Kida."

Kida nodded before he turned to Xehanort. "Until you learn to suppress the darkness, you will never be a master of the Keyblade Xehanort." Kida said before he turned and began to walk away.

Xehanort expression didn't change. He gave a smug grin before he bowed to the departing master. "As you wish, Master Kida."

* * *

"Roxas! ROXAS!"

Roxas jumped awake as he was roughly shaken. He looked up to see Louise standing there, her eyes a bit worried as she glanced down at his hand. Roxas blinked a few times before he followed her gaze. In his hand was The Forgotten Light once again. It was seconds later that it shimmered away.

"Weird" Roxas said before he looked at her. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Louise started. "You were just sleeping there until your Keyblade suddenly flashed into existence. I thought you had to summon them for your Keyblades to appear."

"Usually I do." Roxas said as he raised his empty hand. He then looked out the window of the carriage. "How far are we to the academy?"

"Not too far. You were sleeping the entire way back from the palace."

Roxas gave a small yawn. "And you didn't?"

"I slept a bit, but you were mumbling in you sleep. Were you dreaming?" Louise asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Roxas glanced at his empty hand again. "I…guess I was."

It wasn't moments later that they reached the academy. The carriage came to a halt before they hopped out. Truthfully, after what they had been through the past couple of days, a small nap was not nearly enough rest for the nobody. He was drained and wanted to get some shut eye. He gave another yawn before he noticed something a bit different about the campus. The entire academy was completely devoid of life…Except for two familiar faces that were standing in front of a carriage.

Roxas stretched his arms before he walked up to the two. "Hey Kirche. Tabitha."

Both teens turned towards him. Immediately, Kirche's eyes lit up. "Oh, darling!" Kirche said as she walked up to him and Louise. She then looked at Louise with a smug grind. "And Zero."

Louise growled a bit before she crossed her arms. "Cow. What are you doing out here?"

Kirche laughed softly. "Tabitha and I were about to leave for vacation. We haven't seen you two for a little while, so we thought you already left for the break."

"Vacation?" asked Roxas

"Yes, summer vacation. Most of the students have already gone home." Kirche said as she gestured to the empty campus.

Roxas gave a small smile as he remembered his last summer vacation with Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Those where some of his most treasured memories, even if they were fake.

"So, where are you two going for the summer?" asked Louise curiously.

Kirche looked at Tabitha, who was standing next to the carriage and reading her book like she usually did. Tabitha glanced up at Roxas for a second before returning to her book. "I am going to Tabitha's house for the summer. I have yet to meet her family." Kirche replied.

"Hmm. That's cool then." Roxas said.

"What about you two?"

"Umm" Roxas said as he looked over at Louise.

"We are staying here for the break." Louise said as she gave a small yawn. It seemed she was tired as well.

"Aww, that's too bad." She said before she turned to Roxas. "Well, I won't be able to see you for a little while darling."

"I guess not…" Roxas said before he found himself engulfed in a hug. His face grew a bit warm as he felt Kirche's body against his own. He awkwardly patted her back before she let go. Kirche then turned to Louise with a victorious grin on her face, causing Louise to grind her teeth a bit.

Roxas turned to Tabitha. "I guess I will see you later as well?"

Tabitha looked up from her book again. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again before giving a small nod. She then climbed into the carriage. Kirche bounced in behind her before she turned to Roxas and blew him a kiss.

Roxas didn't have time to be confused by the gesture as he was suddenly blindsided by a massive blue blur. He crashed to the ground before he found an enormous head rubbing against his chest. He gowned a bit before he looked down to see Sylphid purring up a storm before looking at him with her big green eyes.

"I guess I will see you later as well, girl. But please be gentler next time you greet me." He said as he scratched the top of her head. Sylphid gave a satisfied warble before she licked the side of his face. She then let the poor nobody up off the ground. Roxas slowly sat up as he watched the dragon walk over the carriage, knowing perfectly well that she would probably do the exact same thing the next time she saw him. He would be ready though with some leftovers from the kitchen.

He didn't really mind it that much though. He liked that dragon.

Kirche gave a small laugh as she saw the entire scene. She then turned into the carriage before she closed the door. Roxas slowly stood up and watched the carriage disappear into the distance with Sylphid flying over it.

When they were finally gone, Louise glared over at Roxas. "What's with you and these girls? Do you enjoy the attention so much, you Dog?"

Roxas glanced over at her, his eyebrow raised. "Why are you pissed off again?"

"Don't let Zerbst touch you! She only does that to get on my nerves."

"And why does that matter?"

"It just does."

"Whatever." Roxas said as he turned to walk away. When Louise was angry at him and he didn't know why, it was best to just leave her alone so she could cool off.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk. This week has been exhausting and I want to clear my mind." Roxas replied as he continued to walk away.

"You didn't ask your masters permission!"

Roxas ignored her as he continued to walk away, not having the patience to deal with her right now. He heard Louise give a small screech of annoyance before she turned and entered the academy.

"What's her problem? Why is she angry…Again?" Roxas asked himself as he browsed around the academy grounds. She had cooled off a lot, but sometimes she would randomly throw a fit, especially if he was talking with another girl. Why did she do that?

He gave a sigh as he pushed those thoughts to the back of his head. No matter how hard he tried, he could not understand that girl. Her personality seemed to switch on a dime and he had no idea why.

"Oh…Roxas."

Roxas blinked a few times as he turned his attention to a nearby table. Sitting there was a couple of familiar blonds. "Guiche, Montmorency." He greeted.

Guiche waved his rose before he struck a small pose. Stars seemed to shine around him as he looked over at Roxas. "So, you and Louise decided to stay here for the summer as well? How delightful."

"Umm…" Roxas said before he scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Thanks?" Truthfully, ever since Guiche had helped Roxas with the whole Count Mott incident, he had changed quite a bit. Naturally he asked about what happened after the incident and Roxas was more than happy to let him know. Guiche was very happy about the whole outcome sine his family and Count Mott never had a very good relationship.

However, the real kicker came when Roxas had told Guiche about what was in the Counts basement. His flamboyant countenance dropped like a rock as he gained a more solemn expression. Roxas was surprised by his reaction because he thought that Guiche didn't really care about commoners.

"Guiche, we are not done talking." Montmorency napped, causing Guiche to flinch. The starry atmosphere changed to one of dread and fear before Montmorency briefly turned to Roxas. "So, Louise is back already?"

Roxas gave a small yawn. "Yeah, just got back." He said as he turned to walk away. "I am a bit tired, so I am going to find a place to relax. I will catch you two around."

As he walked away, he could vaguely hear Montmorency's voice as she accused Guiche of doing something again. Cheating? What was that supposed to be? Meanwhile, Guiche clasped his hands together and begged for her forgiveness, but she turned away from him with her nose up in the air, rose from the table, and stormed off into the academy. Guiche chased right after her like he usually did.

Roxas shook his head at the whole scene. He didn't understand what was going on between them, but he didn't really care either. If there was conflict between them, then that was there problem.

* * *

It was a little while later that Roxas made his way back to Louise's room, ready to get a bit of rest. Truthfully, he would have just stayed outside with Sylphid, but she was gone for the summer, so Louise's room was the next option. Just as he opened the door, he saw Louise standing there with her hands on her hips, still glaring at him. Next to her was a large basket of laundry that had piled up during the days of their mission.

"Before you go to sleep, you are going to wash all of my cloths and clean my room. If you don't, you will get no dinner. Consider this punishment for disobeying me."

Roxas gave her a disbelieving look. He was the one that did everything for the mission. Now he was exhausted and just wanted to get a bit of rest. But…she expected him to do HER laundry while SHE rested? Was she really that selfish? Why was she acting like this? She was just fine when they were riding in the carriage.

Roxas felt his anger rise a bit. Currently, he was much too tired to be patient with her, so he really didn't care if he pissed her off right now.

"Do it yourself." Roxas growled before he turned towards the door. He quickly opened it before walking through and slamming it shut behind him, leaving Louise to pick her mouth off the ground.

"Y-Y-YOU Ungrateful MUTT!" she screeched. Truthfully, Roxas had been good about helping her with a few chores, one of them being the laundry. But this time, he straight up refused and even disrespected her by slamming the door in her face. Louise fumed as she picked up her laundry and headed out the door behind him. She would just get one of the maids to do it while she taught her familiar a lesson.

A corridor of darkness opened at top of the academy tower, allowing Roxas to step out of it. He gave a sigh of relief before he let the soothing wind wash over his face. It did wonders to calm his anger against Louise. What in the world was her problem?

Roxas shook his head as he flopped down on the hard floor of the academy tower. He really needed to relax after the past few days. His body was tired, but so was his mind. With these dreams that were keeping his thoughts preoccupied, and with the constant emotional roller coaster of this last mission, his mental energy was gone.

Roxas rolled on his side in an attempt to get comfortable, but he just couldn't. He was too riled up now to get any sleep. Damn that Louise. Why couldn't she just let him rest?

After a few minutes of tossing and turning, Roxas came to the conclusion that he was not going to get any sleep up on the roof. He desperately wanted to give his mind a rest, but he really didn't know how. How did one relax?

His stomach grumbled a bit, causing him to break out of his thoughts. Mabey he would be able to relax after a nice meal. He stood up and opened a Corridor of darkness before he stepped within the wispy depts. He appeared next to the kitchen door a second later. The kitchen was his go-to for food since he knew that Louise would probably not feed him…

Had she even fed him since he got here? Usually he just went to the kitchen every time he was hungry while she went to the dining room, so probably not. Mabey she would eventually learn that he was eating in the kitchen with the other employees.

Roxas gave a small smile as she pushed open the door. It had been a little bit since he last saw the kitchen staff because of his and Louise's last mission, so he was a bit exited to see them again. Apparently they were pleased to see him as well because the second he pushed open the door, he was greeted with the sight of a beaming Marteau standing in front of a large pot of stew.

"OUR KEY!" Marteau said loudly before he walked over to Roxas and roughly slapped him on the back, causing Roxas to nearly topple over. "I haven't seen you for a few days. What have you been up to?"

"Just a couple of missions" Roxas said as he rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the sting in his back. Man, when Marteau greeted you, he never held back.

"What can I get for you?"

"I am a bit hungry, so some food would be nice."

"Oh course! I am working on a batch of stew right now. It will fill you right up." He said proudly as he returned to the giant vat and ladled out a bowl.

Roxas gave a yawn before he sat at the table. He crossed his arms and rested his head in the middle. Marteau soon came back with his homemade stew and a slice of freshly baked bread before he sat it in front of Roxas. Roxas poked his head up from his arms before he grabbed the spoon and slowly took a bite. The flavors wash over his tongue, tickling each taste bud like Marteau had cast his own form of magic on the food.

"This is amazing, as usual." Roxas said as he ate another spoonful.

Marteau puffed out his chest in pride. "Of course. Nothing less for OUR KEY!" He said before he noticed the slumped look Roxas was supporting. "You look exhausted. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much…I guess" He said as he took a bite of the stew. "Just getting back form a mission and…dealing with Louise."

Marteau spared Roxas a small, sympathetic glance before an idea crossed his mind. He gained a mischievous glint in his eye. "You look like you could use some relaxing."

Roxas looked up at him as he finished chewing a morsel of food. "Actually, I could. I just don't know how. I tried to take a nap, but Louise…"

"Yeah, I feel ya. But I know just the place where you can relax without being bothered. One of the perks for working here at the academy is the servant bathhouse."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "A servant bathhouse?"

Marteau nodded. "Usually, we are limited to Sauna baths, but the academy granted us one bathhouse for the servants. The only problem is that there are so many servants that it is usually full and we have to abide by a schedule of who gets to use it. But since it is the summer, nobody is really using it right now because most of the servants have gone on vacation. I have to say, there is nothing more relaxing than soaking in a hot bath." He said with a smile. "If you wanted, you could use it tonight."

Roxas halted in mid-bite as he looked up at Marteau. "Really? That is ok?"

"Of course, Our Key! You deserve it."

Roxas thought for a moment before nodding. "That sounds good to me. Thank you Marteau." He said as he went back to eating his stew. He didn't notice the mischievous smirk on Marteau's face as he went back to work.

* * *

Roxas spent the rest of the day browsing the academy and trying to steer clear of Louise. As the day drew on, the more Roxas was looking forward to relaxing in a nice hot bath. Soon, it was finally dark out. Roxas quickly made his way to where Marteau said the servant bath was before he entered. Inside was a medium sized bath located in the middle of the room. It was probably just big enough to fit five people at time, which was considerably small given the number of servants in the academy. It was nothing in comparison to the noble baths, which was restricted to the servants.

Slowly, Roxas removed all of his clothing and set it on a rack before slipping into the warm water. He had to admit, this was heaven. He gave a deep sigh as he let himself sink deeper into the debts of the bath. This felt so much better than using the sauna baths or washing himself in the random river he discovered while wondering outside the academy. He felt his body relax as the tension in his muscles loosened. He really needed to thank Marteau again because this was exactly what he needed right now.

"Now this is relaxing." Roxas said out loud as he leaned his back against the wall of the bath. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the bathroom tile, allowing his mind to rest along with his body.

* * *

If there was one word to describe Siesta at the moment, it was exited. Since most of the employees were gone for the summer, Marteau said she could use the servant's bath as much as she wanted. She rarely got to use it because of the amount of servants that worked at the academy and when she did get to use it, she was accompanied by at least 4 other female servants. It got a bit cramped, which didn't really help when you wanted to relax. So she preferred to use the sauna baths instead.

Eagerly, she entered the bathhouse, ready to relax after a hard day's work. However, when she entered, she gave a small frown as she saw some clothing already hanging on one of the racks. Raising an eyebrow, she peaked around the corner to see who had beaten her to the bath. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw a boy dosing off while resting in the water, only his torso visible through all the steam. He had his arms stretched out along the sides of the bath while his head was resting against the tile. Immediately, she recognized who it was.

It was Roxas!

She suddenly gave a small blush before she composed herself. She had not seen him in a few days because of his mission. Why was Roxas using the servant's bath? He was Louise's familiar right? Wouldn't he just use the noble's bath instead? Slowly, she walked into the room and approached him.

She had only made it two steps before Roxas snapped his head back up, completely alert and ready to act at the smallest sign of hostility. It only lasted a second though because he immediately recognized who she was.

"Siesta?"

Siesta blushed a bit as she looked away. "Roxas. It's been a few days, hasn't it?"

Roxas nodded as he stretched his arms into the air. "It has. Are you here to use the baths? I guess I could get out now."

"Oh, no you don't have to get out. But I am curious, why are you using the servant's bath? You are Louise's familiar, so you should be able to use the Noble's baths."

Roxas shook his head. "Just being her familiar doesn't mean I am a noble. I usually go to the sauna baths with the rest of the servants…or the river that I found outside of the academy walls."

"You wash yourself in a river?" Siesta asked as her eyes widened a bit. "How do you not freeze?"

"You get used to it. Besides it is not the worst thing in the world. But it's been a stressful few days and I really wanted to relax, so Marteau said I could use the servant's bath tonight.

Siesta blinked a few times before the gears started to turn in her head. She swore she could see Marteau giving her a thumbs up with a mischievous smirk on his face.

 _Go for it Siesta!_

Siesta gave a small smile as she realized what the sneaky chef had done. But she could not complain. In fact, she would have to thank him later.

She walked back to the other side of the bath. "Well, it's been a long day for me as well and I could go for some relaxing. Would you mind if I joined you?

Roxas raised an eyebrow before he shrugged. "Go ahead."

Siesta gave a shy smile before she started to undress.

Roxas didn't know why, but for some reason his heart began to pound. With each article of clothing that fell from her body, his heart beat continued to increase until he felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. He face was growing increasingly hot. Why was his body reacting like this? What was going on? His heart beat harder against his chest a few times when Siesta kissed his cheek, but this was on a whole new level.

Eventually, Roxas took a deep breath before he looked away from the undressing girl. Immediately, his heart seemed to calm down a bit. Why was it calming down? Did it have something to do with Siesta? Was she making his body react like this? It wasn't necessarily a bad feeling, but it was completely new, so it kind of worried the nobody. Roxas took another deep breath as he tried to calm his racing heart.

Soon, Roxas heard a small splash, which signified that Siesta had just entered the bath. Siesta gave a satisfied sigh as she felt the warm liquid wash over her body. She then looked across the bath to where Roxas was sitting. She giggled a bit when she saw how red his face was, even though he was looking away from her.

"You don't have to be so embarrassed Roxas. It is very steamy in here, so you won't be able to see much."

Roxas continued to face away from her, but he raised an eyebrow. "Embarrassed? Is that why my heart is beating so fast?"

Siesta blushed before she sank a bit further into the bath. "Maybe. I would assume it's because you have never seen a girl naked before?" she asked, causing Roxas to instantly shake his head. Siesta laughed a bit. "You're so innocent. It's cute, but you really need to get used to it somehow. Just turn toward me and relax. Like I said, it's really steamy in here, so you won't be able to see much. Your making me embarrassed as well."

Slowly, Roxas took a deep breath before he turned toward her. She was right. It was steamy enough so he could only see her head and a bit of her cleavage. It made his face grow warm again, but this time it was much more manageable. He took a deep breath as he relaxed against the bath wall again. That was a new experience. He remembered when he was first summoned and Louise stripped right in front of him. Back then, his body didn't react like this, but now…

Was it because he was experiencing more emotions as he continued to live in Halkeginia? But he was a nobody; he was not supposed to have emotions…Right?

"There is still so much I need to learn." Roxas said absently as he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.

Siesta looked at him, her eyebrow raised. "What do you mean?"

"Emotions." Roxas said as he glanced over at her. "There are so many emotions that I have yet to understand. They are so unfamiliar to me and…I don't even know why I have them in the first place."

"Emotions?" Siesta said as she looked at him strangely. She then giggled a bit. "Roxas, it almost sounds like your saying that you didn't have them at one point."

Roxas opened his mouth, but closed it again. How was he supposed to say that she was exactly right? He was a nobody that was born without any memories and naturally without emotions as well. From what he understood about emotions, he had to learn by experience. And since he had only been alive for less than three years, there were still a lot of them that he had not experienced yet.

Roxas looked over at siesta, who was still giggling a bit into her hand. She had been alive a lot longer than him, so she understood emotions. How would she understand someone who was born without them? That was a very complicated topic, one that could be shared for a different time because he just wanted to relax right now. So Roxas just laughed along with her.

Siesta stopped giggling before she gave a small sigh as she rested against the bath tile. "Hey Roxas. You know a lot about me, but I don't know much about you. Would you mind telling me a little yourself?"

Roxas paused for a moment, giving it some thought. He couldn't tell her 'Hey, I am a shell of someone else, called a nobody. I came from another world.' Not only would she not believe him, but that would raise a lot more questions. Ones that Roxas didn't want to answer at the moment.

"I guess I am from a place that is very far away. It rains a lot, but I don't really mind the rain. What specifically do you want to know?"

"How about your friends or family? What where they like?"

Roxas immediately sat up with a smile on his face. That was something he could really talk about. "Well, I didn't have a family, but I did have a few friends that I would hang out with all of the time. Their names are Hayner, Pence, Olette, Axel, and Xi…Xi…" he stared before he frowned. Her name was on the tip of his tongue again, but it just would not come out. Who was she?

"Roxas?"

Roxas snapped out of it before he smiled. "Sorry. I had a couple of friends. One of them was named Axel. To tell you the truth, he and Kirche have a lot in common."

Siesta blinked a few times before she giggled again. "Has he ever tried to seduce you?"

"Seduce?"

"Yeah." She said before she raised an eyebrow at him. "You know, like the way Kirche always hugs you, or rests her head on you shoulder?"

"Umm…No. I was referring to their red hair and power over fire." Roxas said as he thought for a moment. "Not to mention that they both are not afraid to speak their minds."

"He could use fire magic? So, he was a noble?" Asked Siesta, her interest growing immensely.

"No. He was like me, but he could hold his own in a fight. We would go on mission after mission. But every day, we would sit atop of twilight tower and watch the sunset while eating sea-salt ice cream."

"Really? That sounds like fun. What kind of missions did you do?"

Roxas though back to some of his missions. "Mostly track down and destroy dangerous monsters." He said. "There were a lot of monsters that needed to be eliminated."

"Why didn't the nobles do anything about it?"

"We really don't have nobles the same way you do." Well…technically they were the nobles among the nobody's, but that was a very complicated topic.

Siesta sat up. "Really?"

Roxas nodded.

"Tell me more!" She said as she pushed off the wall and scooted closer, ready for some cool stories.

Roxas blushed at the closer proximity as he glanced over at her. Her eyes were almost glowing with anticipation with a large smile accompanying it. How could he say no to such an adorable face? She looked like she really enjoyed a good story. Roxas gave a small smile back as he thought of all his adventures with his friends.

"Well, I guess I could share a few stories. My first mission with Axel was pretty strange because I was new to the organization that we worked for. It was just a massive treasure hunt…" He started before he began to tell her a few stories about some of his missions. Most of them included a few missions he took with axel and other members of the organization; however he didn't really dive too deep into the more detailed aspects. He also told her about some of his adventures with Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

Siesta sat next to Roxas as she listened to him talk. She had a small smile on her face, happy that Roxas was finally opening up to her a bit more. She had never really heard him say at one time, and it was really nice to hear about it. Not to mention his stories were really interesting. Monsters were not that uncommon in Halkeginia, but Roxas actually had to fight them on a daily basis? No wonder he was so strong.

But she also had a few questions on her mind. What was the organization that Roxas worked for? Why were there no nobles where he was from? And where was he from? She had never heard of a place that he was describing in all of his stories. Though, it did sound like a nice place to visit…despite the monsters that he walked about.

* * *

Louise was stomping around the academy grounds in the dead of night looking for her familiar. "Where did that Idiot dog go? How dare he snub me like that!" she screeched as she continued to look around for him. She had not seen him since he stormed out of her room earlier that day and it was driving her nuts. She checked most of the rooms in the academy, the kitchen, the grounds, and even the classrooms, but he was nowhere. It was extremely obnoxious, but when he didn't want to be found, there was nothing she could do about it.

Louise finally lost her patience as she screeched into the skies. "ARUGG, why is he so stubborn?" She exclaimed.

"Louise? Way are you screeching into the heavens?

Louise blinked a few times before she looked over at one of the tables, only to see Guiche and Montmorency sitting there. In her anger, she had not seen anyone else around. Her face turned a shade of red from embarrassment before she walked up to the table. "Guiche, Montmorency, have you see Roxas?"

"Not since earlier today." Guiche said as he twirled his rose between his fingers. He then reached for the glass in front of him, but it was swiped away before he could grasp it.

"That stupid Dog is avoiding me again." She grumbled before he looked over at Guiche. "I am drinking this." She declared before she swallowed the entire glassful in one gulp.

Guiche stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "I must have been a stressful couple of days for you then?" He asked as she dropped the glad down in front of him.

"Oh, you have no idea." Louise said before she turned and walked back into the academy to wait for Roxas in her room. In her urgency to leave, she never noticed the expression of horror on Montmorency's face.

* * *

Siesta and Roxas were still in the baths, laughing as Siesta told him a few stories of her childhood. It really surprised Roxas that she was actually the oldest of eight children. Though, he had to wonder what it would have been like to have siblings. Siesta had giving him a few minor details about what it was like, but family was something that he had never experienced either. It sounded like it was something important.

"Well, I think it is has been long enough." Roxas said as he stood suddenly from the water.

Siesta immediately stopped laughing before she turned several shades of red. She actually caught sight of his entire body. His physical structure could have been chiseled by the Gods themselves. Dense muscles ripped across his body, but they were not nearly as bulky as her uncles. It was obvious that he was built for speed over strength. Still, there was not an ounce of fat on his body.

Her face grew very warm when she saw…

Immediately, she turned away and buried her face in her hands out of embarrassment. She didn't think Roxas would be that bold

"I-I think it is time I also got out of the tub as well." She stuttered

"Yeah." Roxas said absently as he started to get dressed in his cloths. He made sure to avert his gaze when Siesta walked up behind him and started to get dressed as well. He really didn't want his heart to beat out of control again.

The cool, fresh air was a nice feeling against their freshly cleaned skin as Roxas and Siesta both exited the bath house. Roxas gave a sigh as he felt completely relaxed for the first time in a while. Marteau really knew what he was talking about when it came to relaxing.

"Hey Roxas, thanks for talking with me. I had fun and it was nice to learn a little bit more about you."

Roxas looked over at her with his own small smile. "I enjoyed it a lot too. We should do it again sometime."

Siesta had a small blush on her face before nodding. Her expression then changed a bit. "Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

Siesta bit her lower lip a little. "Your friends, the ones from back where you came from, do you miss them?"

Roxas expression dropped a little. Truthfully, Hayner, Pence, and Olette didn't even know who he was. And Axel, the last he saw of him, he faded away…just like Roxas did. Who knew what happened to him.

"Yeah. I miss them a lot." He said sadly.

Siesta saw the expression on his face before she looked at him in pity. She reached up and pinched the sleeve of his coat. "I am sorry. It must be hard to be away from your friends." She said before she looked down at the grown. "Are-Are you going to leave and go back to them one day?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow before he looked over at her. He could not see her eyes, but by the tone of her voice, she was sad about something. "Well, I may go and visit sometime. But truthfully, this place has become more of my home."

Siesta snapped her head back up at him, her eyes a bit wider. "Really? But what about where you came from? Wasn't that your home?"

Roxas shook his head. "My home is where my friends are. There have been many people's hearts that I managed to touch here, and in return, their hearts that have helped me grow as well. Yeah, I did have friends back where I came from, but I feel that the friends I have made here need me…And I need them as well." He said before he looked over at her. "That includes you. You were the first friend I made here and I am grateful that I had the chance to meet you."

Siesta blinked a few times before a blush crossed her face again. He said that so easily, like he was not afraid to just say how he felt. And it was very touching. She grasped his coat a little tighter. "Thank you, Roxas" she said as tears threatened to leak out of her eyes.

"Nah." Roxas said as he gave a small yawn. "I think I will head back to Louise's room so I can get some sleep. I do mean it though; we should relax in the baths again sometime."

"I-I would like that." She said as she approached him and wrapped her arms around his chest.

Roxas blinked a few times. This hug was much gentler than the one Kirche gave him. It almost felt natural to wrap his arms around her and he gently hugged her back, which he did.

Siesta gave a satisfied sigh before she pulled away from him. "I will see you around Roxas." She said with a small bow. She then turned and walked away, disappearing into the distance.

Roxas smiled as he felt his heart beat a bit faster in his chest. It was nothing compared to how he felt in the baths. Instead, it was a lot more comfortable. It was actually a very…pleasant feeling.

"Man, there is so much I still need to learn." Roxas said out loud as he walked back to the academy. It was crystal clear now. Roxas knew that there was something inside of him that was causing feeling to arise. That was the only explanation. He was supposed to not have emotions, but earlier in the baths, it was clear that he felt something. But it was not only that experience. Ever since he got here, his feelings have grown exponentially. He didn't know how, but he had emotions. The only question was, why. Why did he have them? He was not supposed to have a heart. That was something that belonged to Sora, not him. So what was making him feel?

Roxas continued to ponder this as he walked all the way back to Louise's room. He gave a small sigh as he grasped her doorknob, hoping that she had actually calmed down for the night because he really didn't want to deal with her attitude right now.

Carefully, he turned the knob and opened the door. Right when he entered, he turned to see Louise sitting on her bed, waiting for him. She had her arms and legs crossed with an angry look on her face.

"Where were you?" she demanded.

Roxas gave another sigh as he tried to crush his annoyance. This was exactly what he didn't want right now. "Marteau said I could use the servant's bath to relax."

"Ohh, so you went to the bath? I don't believe you! You probably went to see the maid."

Roxas flopped to the ground before he rested his back against her wall. "Siesta? I did see her actually. She joined me for the bath. It was nice having someone to talk to." He said before he gave a small yawn.

Louise's mouth dropped open as she pointed her finger at him. "You…You…YOU!"

Roxas hadn't a clue what he did now, but it was obvious that she was going to erupt again. He cringed, waiting for the screaming to start.

"You IDIOT!" Louise cried before tears started to stream down her face.

Roxas blinked few times before he looked as her, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline. She actually had tears in her eyes. Why in the world was she crying?

"How could you bathe with that girl when you should be spending time with me?"

…

Roxas's mouth fell open. He was not expecting that in the slightest. What in the world was going on? Why was Louise acting like this? He expected her to blow up in his face and start screaming at him in anger. But the words that were coming out of her mouth almost seemed alien to the girl.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Roxas asked as he sat up a bit. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror as he saw her stand up. The tears were now gone, but a new look completely took over. She had a grin on her face that would give Kirche a run for her money and was looking at him like she was some sort of predator stalking its prey.

"I guess I will just have to show you how much better I am than that maid. After all…" She said, her voice growing into a seductive whisper. "A master needs to reward there familiar once in a while."

Roxas swore he saw a flash of lighting outside of the window that seemed to add to the ominous atmosphere in the room. He barely had time to react before Louise pounced at him like a cat. He rolled to the left, causing Louise to crash into the pile of straw. Quickly, he scampered away before turning to her, his eyes still wide with confusion.

"What is wrong with you!?"

Louise picked herself up from off the pile before she turned to him, a few pieces of straw entangled in her hair. "Why did you dodge?" Louise said with half-lidden eyes. "Don't worry; it's my first time as well. I promise that it will be…Memorable." Her grin was really starting to freak him out.

"W-What?" Roxas exclaimed, becoming even more horrible confused than before.

"I love you Roxas and I want you to be mine." Louise said with a husky voice. She immediately tried to jump at him again, but Roxas once again jumped out of reach, this time standing in front of the bed.

"What's gotten into you?" Roxas exclaimed as he saw Louise about to pounce again. She jumped at him, but Roxas side-stepped the girl, causing her to land on the bed, getting tangled up by her covers in the process. Roxas, quickly thinking on his feet, grabbed the corners of the blanket before he wrapped them around the squirming girl. She became even more entangled as he bound her up and tied the blankets in a knot so she was trapped in a makeshift cocoon.

"Hey, let me out!" she squirmed against her restrictions before an idea popped into her head. She grinned over at Roxas again. "Ohhh, so you are into bondage. I thought we would just take the first time slowly, but if that's what you're into, then I am not complaining. I guess I have been the master long enough and you want a turn at it."

If it were possible, the poor nobody became even more confused. What the hell was going on? Why was Louise acting like this?

"It's as I thought."

Roxas turned to see Montmorency standing there in the doorway. She had a deadpan look on her face. He immediately turned to her. "W-What do you mean? What happened to her?"

"Actually…It's even worse than I thought." Montmorency said as she massaged her temples.

* * *

 **Authors Note: This chapter was a bit interesting to try and write. It's difficult to gauge how a person reacts to a new feeling, but I feel that I did a decent job at it. This chapter was a bit shorter than the previous have been, but I still feel that it was a decent size, plus the update was a bit sooner, so I feel like I did alright. Hey, I promised that each chapter would be over 5K words each. That being said, most of my chapters will be over 7K in length, including this one. But a lot will happen in the next chapter.**

 **I kind of feel this chapter was more focused on Roxas developing more of a relationship with Siesta and him trying to understand more about his continuously developing emotions. Not much happened in this chapter because it was also more of a build up for the next chapter, which is going to be a very important chapter in this story. So please look forward to it.**

 **As always, thank you for taking the time to read this story and reviewing. How did I do? Did you like it? Hate it? Again, this was a difficult one to write because of the situation. Also, I made up the servants bath because Roxas would probably not see a giant container and be like "Hm, I could turn this into a bath." I felt that it was time that Roxas opened up a bit, and what better way to do that than by relaxing in a nice, hot bath.**

 **Just a reminder as well, leave a review with a pairing in mind and I will consider it. With the direction the story is taking, there is a lot of possibilities.**

 **But anyway, thanks for everything and I will see you in the next chapter…Coming really soon.**

 **Until then, Later!**


	10. Chapter 10: Heart

**Authors Note: This chapter is very important to the story, so pay close attention because it has some foreshadowing and will reveal a bit about what happened a long time ago with Gandalfr. It is exciting to see the progression of the story. Mostly it is thanks to you guys for supporting me. So as always, thank you for your reviews, favs, follows, ext. It means a lot to me that people really enjoy the story.**

 **Anyway, some people made a good point about the pairing. It is true that I have focused on the relationship between Roxas and Siesta a bit more than others, so it was not really fair to ask who he should be paired with yet. That being said, I did get some really good insights on what pairing people wanted. I was surprised at how many people wanted a harem. It could be possible to do if that is what you guys want.**

 **I will ask about the parings again in the future when there is more of a development between Roxas and the other girls in the story as well, because it is a bit biased towards Siesta at the moment.**

 **Speaking of Siesta, I have a little rant I want to get off my chest. If you don't care, skip this part and just get on with the story. In the first season of Familiar of Zero, I really liked her character. She was caring and kind, a bit shy but not overly so, and just all around adorable. I was rooting for her to get Saito in the whole first season. However, that all changed instantly in the second season. To me, I feel that the writers of the anime saw that she was getting more popular than Louise and decided to change her into an obsessive stalker that was just used for fan-service purposes. In fact, it wasn't until the second season that she started to use her large chest to get Saito's attention. That kinda pissed me off because she seemed a way out of character from the first season…But maybe that is just me. I don't know, do any of you feel the same way? I decided to keep her how she was in the first season. A bit shy, but bold enough to make a move. Caring, but not obsessive because her obsessive nature is what garnished a lot of hate from viewers of the anime through seasons 2-4.**

 **Anyhoo, please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: ….NUU! Spelling will destroy me!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't one anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 10

Roxas stared at Montmorency with his mouth slightly ajar as she explained what happened to Louise. She drank a love potion that was meant for Guiche? Roxas remembered that there were love potions for sale when he last visited Tristania, but he didn't know that it would do something like this to someone.

He knew of plenty of potions that gave different affects when drank, but none as insane as this. This so-called love potion seemed to change Louise's whole personality. He had never seen anything like it before in his life.

Needless to say, Roxas was not happy with the situation. It was easy to deal with her when she would yell and threaten, but this was a whole different ball game. Her attitude was really starting to freak him out. With the crying, seductive stares, and clingy attitude, he had absolutely no idea how to handle the situation. Speaking of which, she somehow managed to escape her blanket cocoon and was now firmly latched onto his torso, glaring at Montmorency as she explained what had happened.

Roxas was not much of a touchy person, so the proximity between him and Louise was really making him cringe. He glared over at Montmorency as he tried to peel Louise off of him.

"How long will she be like this?" he questioned through clenched teeth as he held Louise's face away from him. She had her lips puckered, ready to go in for a kiss, but was kept at arms distance by Roxas.

"Oh, a few months to a year. It will wear off eventually."

Roxas's mouth dropped. He accidently released Louise out of his shock and she took advantage of the situation, snaking her arms around his neck and sitting on his lap while rubbing her cheek against his.

Roxas growled as he tried to shove her away. "NO! We need to fix her now." He said, a little panic in his voice.

Montmorency just shrugged. "The ingredients for the antidote are very difficult to get. She is going to have to stay like that until the effects of the potion ware off."

"Where are the ingredients, I will get them!" Roxas exclaimed. He had his hand placed on her head as he held her back. She flailed her arms at him in an attempt to get closer.

"It will be impossible for you to get all the required ingredients for the antidote. You need the tear of the water spirit, which only a water mage can get."

"Then. Come. With. Me." Roxas growled through his clenched teeth. He was losing his patience because Louise managed to break through his defenses again, firmly latching onto him in a vice grip while whining about him thinking Montmorency was prettier than her. There was absolutely no way he could stand this for a whole year. That was nearly the same amount of time he spent with organization 13. That was about a third of the time he had even been alive. A year was WAY too long.

"There is nothing we can do about it tonight. You are just going to have to deal with it." Montmorency said before she turned toward the door and grasped the door knob. Before she left, she turned back to the comical scene. "What are you complaining about anyway? You should consider yourself lucky. She will literally do anything for you now." She turned toward the door before walking out, leaving Roxas and Louise alone in the room.

Roxas clenched his teeth and tried to chase after Montmorency, but Louise literally tackled him to the ground before he could escape.

"NO, don't go! I will be lonely without you." She cried as she clenched the front of his coat.

Roxas gave a deep sigh. This was going to be one long night.

* * *

True to his thoughts, this was indeed the longest night of Roxas's life. She would not let him go and refused to fall asleep unless he was lying right next to her on the bed. But even when she was asleep, Roxas was almost afraid to follow suit. The look she gave him earlier was still on his mind, causing him to keep an eye on her the entire night to make sure she didn't do anything.

When dawn finally came, Roxas woke up earlier than usual in order to sneak out of her grip and exit the room. This could not go on any longer. It had not even been one day and he was ready to pull his hair out. He had to find out how to undo the effects of this potion or he was going to go insane.

As Roxas walked down the hallway of the academy, his mind pondered different ways he could fix this problem. The Cure spell would not work because this was not a physical injury. There was nothing to heal, so the spell would be useless. He could try using an Elixir, but he didn't know if Louise would even drink it and he only had a few left. They were for emergencies, so that would be a last resort. Montmorency said there was an antidote, so that was his first option, but where was he supposed to look for ingredients. He wasn't a Moogle. He didn't know how to brew of synthesize potions.

"ROXASS!"

Roxas felt his blood run cold as he heard a familiar voice echo down the hallway. He looked behind him only to notice a pink-haired figure racing towards him. She was moving so fast that it looked like she was kicking up a dust trail as she rushed down the hallway.

"Aw Shit!" Roxas cursed as she turned and shot down the hallway in the opposite direction. He continued to run from the girl before he glanced behind him. His eyes widened when he saw her actually closing the distance between them. How in the world was she moving so fast? She was coming in like a homing missile.

"ROXAS! GET BACK HERE~ I DIDN'T GET MY MORNING KISS!" Louise yelled as she continued her pursuit.

Roxas extended his hand and opened a Corridor of Darkness before sprinting into the wispy entrance. Louise launched herself at the portal, but it closed before she followed through causing her to belly-flop on the ground. She lay there for a few seconds before she pushed herself back to her feet. She gave a grin.

"I will get you Roxas. You can't escape me~"

A Corridor of Darkness appeared on the academy ground before Roxas stepped out. He gave a happy sigh, glad he managed to escape her clutches once again.

"THERE YOU ARE!

Roxas's eyes widened as he looked toward the academy. Louise was standing right in the entrance, a feral grin plastered on her face.

"No way!" Roxas said before he took off again. How did she find him? He had just escaped and now she was on his tail once again…AND WHY WAS SHE SO FAST!

Louise was gaining on him again before Roxas decided it was time to take it up a notch. He crouched down and rushed forward, gliding above the ground as she shot around the academy, firmly leaving Louise in the dust.

Louise stopped chasing as she saw Roxas disappear around the academy. She grinned again as she turned and ran through the academy doors, trying to cut Roxas off by running through the building.

Roxas was circling around the academy before he made a sharp turn, entering the building through one of the entrances. He needed a place to hide. Kirche's room was out of the question because she and Tabitha were gone for the summer. That also made hiding with Sylphid not an option. He didn't want to spend his entire day on the roof of the academy, even though Louise would never find him there. The kitchen was an option, but Louise would probably find him there eventually.

Roxas rounded a corner and shot down another hallway, hoping to lose Louise in the building. He continued to move quickly before someone stepped out right in front of him from another hallway. Roxas panicked before he dove over the person, rolling over his shoulder before he rolled to his feet. Looking up, he gave a small sigh of relief to see that it wasn't Louise.

"Hey Siesta."

Siesta blinked a few times, not quite sure what to make of what just happened. Roxas just hurtled over her before rolling to his feet. "Um…hey Roxas. What are you up to?"

Roxas opened his mouth to answer, but stopped when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He rushed over to Siesta before he pulled her over to the corner of the hallway and behind a stone pillar. He pressed his back against the stone with a panicked look on his face.

Siesta was more than confused as she witnessed his actions. "Roxas, what are you…MPH" She started before Roxas clasped a hand over her mouth.

"Shh" Roxas shushed before he cautiously looked around the pillar. Immediately, he pulled back. Siesta was still confused before she saw a certain Pink-haired mage run right past them before stopping.

"Weird, Roxas should have come though this hallway." She said before she licked her lips with a grin. "Oh well, I always did like a chase." She said before she rushed down the hallway again.

If Siesta thought she was confused before, that was nothing compared to now. That look in Louise's eye and the way she talked was so different than the way she usually was. What in the world was going on? She turned to Roxas, who slid down the side of the stone pillar until he was sitting on the ground with an exhausted look in his eye.

"Roxas, what in the world is going on?" She asked.

"Ugh. Too much." Roxas replied as he looked up at her. "Last night, Louise accidentally drank a love potion that Montmorency made. It has been a nightmare."

Siesta eye's widened a bit before she looked at him skeptically. "A love potion? You do know those are illegal to brew, right?"

"They are?" Roxas asked as he looked up at her.

Siesta nodded, still a little skeptical. "Why would Montmorency make a love potion if they are illegal?"

"I don't know. She explained it to me last night. Something about giving it to Guiche so he doesn't cheat on her…or something like that. I don't really care why she did it; I just need to find an antidote before I go insane." He said before he looked up at Siesta. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a water spirit tear, would you?"

As Siesta heard his story, her doubts began to vanish. She could actually see Montmorency going that far to ensure that Guiche would not cheat on her. She actually felt a bit bad for being skeptical because Roxas had been nothing but honest with her…vaguely honest, but still honest.

"I know how to make a couple potions, but noting as advanced as love potions, let alone an antidote. Sorry Roxas."

Roxas slumped a bit as he tried to think of something else. But suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Wait, you said they were illegal, right?" he asked, causing Siesta to gave a small grin before he stood from his spot. "Then I may be able to do something about this."

"ROXASS."

"Erup." Roxas gasped as he heard Louis's voice approaching once again. How did she keep finding him?

Siesta noticed the panicked look on his face before she grasped his sleeve and began to tug him in a certain direction. "Come with me."

Roxas didn't have time to think it over before he heard Louise's footsteps coming closer. He followed behind Siesta as they quickly made their way down the hallway. They weaved through the academy before they began to walk down a few flights of stairs. As they progressed, Roxas noticed that the rooms were spaced closer together and the quality was much lesser than the ones he had seen on higher flights. They continued down until Siesta reached a certain door. It was pretty plain compared to the Nobles.

Quickly, Siesta pushed open the door, allowing her and Roxas to enter. Inside, the room itself was about a quarter of the size of Louise's room. It only had a small bed, a dresser with a cracked mirror, and a tiny closet. It was small, but cozy.

Roxas looked over at siesta, who was trying to catch her breath. "Where are we?"

"This is my room." Siesta said as she straightened up and gestured around the room. "I know it's not as large or glamorous as Louise's, but it is nice."

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked around the room. His room back in organization 13 was about this big. "It's nice."

BAM BAM

Roxas and Siesta both jumped as someone started banging on Siesta's door. They didn't even have to wonder who it was.

Roxas was panicking as he looked around for a place to hide.

"Roxas, over in the closet!" Siesta whispered to him, making sure her voice was quiet enough so Louise couldn't hear her.

Roxas quickly dashed over to her closet and threw open the door. Inside was an assortment of different outfits, mostly maid clothing. He didn't have time to observe before he jumped in. Siesta quickly closed the closet just as Louise kicked the door to her bedroom open.

"Roxas! Are you in here?" she said as she glanced around the room. Her gaze then fell on Siesta before she growled at her. "You! Maid. Have you seen Roxas? I swore I caught a glimpse of him coming in this direction."

Siesta was sweating a bit, but placed a finger on her chin in a thinking pose. "No, I have not seen him for a while. Why? Did he do something?" she said, demonstrating amazing skills as an actress.

"Yeah! He left my room without permission. We were supposed to have so much fun this morning, but he is playing hard to get~" she said as she gave an aroused sigh. She placed a hand on her cheek as a blush crossed her entire face. "Oh the fun we could have had by now. As much as I enjoy the chase, I just wish he wasn't so shy."

Siesta's eyes widened a bit as Louise's words sunk in. This was the most extreme effect of a love potion that she had ever seen. She could now understand why Roxas was as panicked as he was. She already deduced that Roxas was more of the shy type based on her experience with him in the bath and could not imagine how he reacted with Louise coming on as hard as she is.

Louise's expression changed to one of anger before she pointed at Siesta. "I know you had a bath with him yesterday. You stay away from him. He is mine!" she yelled before she turned and walked out the door, slammed it on the way out.

Siesta gave a sigh of relief before she looked over at her closet. The door was creaked open a bit, signifying that Roxas had seen the whole thing. Soon, the door opened and he stumbled out, a look of complete relief on his face.

"That was close. Thanks Siesta."

"Your welcome." She replied as she giggled a bit. "How did you survive the night?"

"I have no idea." Roxas said before he turned towards the door. "I need to fix this as soon as possible."

Siesta gave a small smile before she walked up behind him. "Well, my room is open if you ever need to hide again."

"I may need to take you up on that." Roxas replied as he walked out of the room.

* * *

Roxas managed to sneak his way around the academy, careful to keep an eye out for any sign of Louise. He peaked around another corner to be sure she wasn't there before he continued to Montmorency's room. There were a few close calls, but Roxas managed to avoid the persistent girl before he found himself standing in front of Montmorency's door. He viciously kicked the door open, accidently smacking Guiche in the process.

"We need to talk Montmorency." Roxas demanded as he stormed into the room. Montmorency was standing there with a vile of liquid in her hand. A frown marred her face before she placed the vile back into the cabinet.

"Would you at least knock?" She barked.

"Montmorency." Roxas growled, obviously not having the patience right now.

"I told you, you will have to just wait until the effect ware off." Montmorency said as she placed her hands on her hips, looking uneasily at Guiche.

Guiche looked between Roxas and Montmorency a few times, completely confused as to what was going on. "Um, Roxas, why have you barged in here? What are you and my beautiful Montmorency talking about?"

Montmorency paled a bit as Roxas turned to Guiche. "Louise accidently drank a love potion yesterday that was made by Montmorency. It was meant to be for you."

Guiche blinked a few times before he turned to look at Montmorency. "Then, that drink you gave me, the one Louise drank, that was a love potion?"

Montmorency looked away from him before giving a small nod. "I didn't want you cheating on me."

"Oh, my sweet Mon-mon. You should know that you don't need a potion to get my love." Guiche said as stars appeared around him.

"Ahem!" Roxas coughed, getting Guiche and Montmorency's attention. A small grin crossed his face as he turned towards Montmorency. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe I will look somewhere else for help. I bet Osmond would know what to do. Maybe I should take her there." He said as he crossed his arms.

The look on Montmorency's face was priceless. "What? Wait!" she cried, paling at the thought of how much trouble she could get into if someone found out she brewed that potion.

"Yeah. I mean, Louise can't stay this way. Osmond would have an idea of what to do, so asking him would be my best bet, right?" Roxas said as he turned to walk out the door.

Montmorency paled even further before she reached out and grabbed the back of his coat. "Alright, I will help you get the ingredients for the antidote. Just don't tell headmaster Osmond!"

"Well, that was easy." Roxas said as he turned around to face her. "What do we need to get?"

Montmorency turned to her cabinet before opening the door. Inside was a large amount of various brewing items. She traced her finger along the shelves before she gave a small nod. "I have all of the ingredients I need besides one. The last ingredient will be the most difficult and there is a chance that we can't get it at all."

"You mean the tear of the water spirit. The ingredient you mentioned yesterday?"

"Yes, she lived in the Lagdorian Lake. You will need my help if you are going to get it."

"How far away is it?"

"About a day's ride by house." Montmorency replied as she closed the cabinet door.

"Alright, we will leave tomorrow morning then." Roxas said as he turned to walk out the door.

"WHAT? I don't want to do this tomorrow!"

"Then I guess I will go to Osmond as my alternative."

"Eug! Alright fine!" Montmorency said as she slumped her shoulders in defeat.

Roxas nodded as he grasped the doorknob, but paused before he left. He turned back to Montmorency and Guiche again. "Montmorency, why did you want to give that potion to Guiche in the first place?"

Montmorency turned her head away as she crossed her arms. A frown marred her face again. "I just didn't want Guiche cheating on me anymore."

"But did you really want Guiche act like that?"

Montmorency blinked a few times before he turned to Roxas and Guiche. "I-I didn't think it would work this well. I have never used a love potion before."

Roxas paused as he thought for a few moments. "Love. I don't know much about love, but from what I have learned, it is supposed to be important. Is it worth anything if it is forced or artificial? What would it mean? Is that really what you wanted? Something fake and hollow?"

Guiche and Montmorency blinked a few times. Guiche flamboyant countenance disappeared as he thought about Roxas's words. He looked over at Montmorency with a rare, serious expression.

"I…I" Montmorency stuttered. Truthfully, she had never thought about it like that. She just didn't want Guiche to cheat on her anymore.

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows. "I don't…understand love very well. I know it drives me to protect the people I care about. If I were only protected those people because I was forced to, then what meaning would that have?" Roxas asked before he turned back to the door. "What Louise is doing right now…She is being forced to because of a potion. It's not real…It's not love."

"ROXASS!"

Roxas gasped before he looked out the door. Sure enough, Louise was sprinting right at him, a fiery determination in her eyes. Immediately, he ran out the door and disappeared down the hallway.

"WAIT ROXASS, I LOVE YOU!" Louise shouted as she chased after him.

Montmorency and Guiche looked out the door as they saw Louise race by after Roxas. Roxas's words echoed through their minds. Guiche frowned a bit as he witnessed Louise's actions. He then turned to Montmorency.

"Did you really want me to end up like that?" he asked in a very rare moment of seriousness.

Montmorency looked at him in surprise, complete not expecting that. "I didn't want to be cheated on." She said with a humph.

"So you would rather force me to be your love slave for six months to a year?"

Montmorency whirled around, her eyes wide. Guiche was actually upset. She never though he could get upset at her…Or even upset at all. "It's a love potion, not a slave potion."

Guiche looked out the doorway watching Louise disappear into the distance. "Really? From what I see, she is so in love with Roxas that he could command her to do anything and she would do it. That's completely taking away her will. In a way, you made her the slave while Roxas is the master." He said before he shuttered. "And that could have been me if Louise had not shown up."

Montmorency was staring at Guiche, not use to the seriousness in his voice. He turned toward her with a small frown. "My heart may wonder from time to time, but does that really give you the right to enslave me? Would you really be satisfied with such artificial love?" he asked, causing the girls mouth to drop open. He turned and walked out the door, leaving Montmorency behind in her room.

* * *

It was the end of the day and Roxas was sitting on the edge of the academy tower. This was the only safe spot in the entire academy. Somehow, Louise had developed a sixth sense for knowing where he was. She even caught him a couple of times before he managed to escape. How in the world did she do that?

Also, if love was so important, then why did Montmorency try to force love through a potion. Wasn't Love supposed to be naturally experienced? Wasn't it an important emotion? If it was forced, then what meaning did it have?

Roxas gave a sigh as he opened a corridor of darkness. He cringed as he appeared next to Louis's door. He really didn't want to go through another night like the previous ones. Just the through made him shiver.

Slowly, he took a deep breath before he opened the door and peaked inside. Immediately, his mouth dropped open again. Louise was laying on her bed sideways with the most reviling sleepwear he had ever seen in his life. The look in her eye yelled predator as a seductive grin crossed her face. The floor had articles of her clothing thrown about. Slowly, he looked up at her again as lighting flashing in the background.

"Roxas, I have been waiting for you." She huskily whispered, her hand trailing down the side of her body to emphasize her smaller curves.

Roxas couldn't help it. He closed the door and ran down the hall, trying to put as much distance between him and that room as he could. There was absolutely NO way he was spending the night in that room. Not a chance in HELL! What in the world was going on in her head? Why was she laying there with hardly any clothing on? Why was she waiting for him? What was she even talking about? Why was she talking like that?

"ROXASS~ WAIT!" Louise yelled as she watched Roxas slam her door. She pouted a bit before she gave a grin. "Your so shy Roxas, but you can't run forever. You have no other place to sleep tonight, so I will be waiting for your return. And then…" She said as she licked her lips "you are all mine."

Roxas took a deep breath as reached a good distance from Louise's room. He wished Sylphid were around so he could be warm through the night, but she was gone with Tabitha and Kirche. Sleeping outside would be very difficult because it was steadily growing colder as the days went on. He could sleep in the academy somewhere, but then Louise might catch him and do god know what to him.

 _My room is open if you ever need to hide again_

Roxas blinked again as Siesta's words played through him mind. He really needed a place to hide…And sleep for the night. That was the only option left. He really didn't want to impose on Siesta, but what else could he do?

Giving a small sigh, Roxas made his way to the lower levels of the academy. Eventually, he reached Siesta's room and gave as small knock. It was only a second later that Siesta opened the door. She was dressed in her nightgown, ready to go to bed.

"Roxas?"

Roxas scratched the back of his head. "Hey Siesta. I guess I have to take you up on your offer." He said awkwardly.

Siesta immediately blushed before nodding. She moved to the side to let Roxas in. He entered before he sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. "Thanks. I-I hate to impose, but would it be okay if I slept here tonight? I was worried if I stayed outside, Louise might find me and do…something to me."

Siesta blushed again before she walked over to her bed and sat down. "What happened? You look like you saw something frightening."

"Umm…I think I did." Roxas replied as he rested his head against the wall. "Louie was waiting for me to get back. I walked into her room and there she was on her bed, practically naked. She just had this look in her eye that made we want to run. So I did."

Siesta's mouth fell open again. The effects of that love potion were insane.

"We are going to get the last ingredient for the antidote tomorrow, so we are getting up early. I didn't know where else to go, so…I remembered your offer, and...and here I am."

Siesta shook her head as she giggled a bit. "I swear, nothing is ever boring with you around Roxas. You always seem to find yourself in the most interesting situations."

"Story of my life." Roxas said as he gave a small yawn. He took off his coat and laid it over him like he usually did before he closed his eyes to sleep.

"What are you doing?" Asked Siesta curiously.

Roxas peaked through his eyelid. "Going to sleep."

"On the floor?"

Roxas yawned again before opening his eyes. "Yeah. It's where I have been sleeping since I got here…Well, other than the times I slept outside when Louise and I would have an argument.

"You slept outside! How did you not freeze?"

Roxas chuckled a bit. "Tabitha's familiar, Sylphid. She would usually keep me warm. I think she likes it when I sleep outside with her."

Siesta's mouth was dropped open before she looked at Roxas in pity. "Louise never gave you a bed?"

"Nope, But it's not that bad. You kind of get used to it." Roxas said before he rested his head against the wall again.

Siesta stared at Roxas for a few seconds before a blush consumed her entire face. An idea sparked in her brain, but she was very nervous about acting on it. Finally, she calmed herself and made a decision.

"Umm…Roxas?" she asked, causing him to look at her. "You know, if you…want to share the bed, I would be ok with it." She said, her face turning another shade of red.

Roxas looked at her for a moment, his eyebrow raised, before he looked at the bed. His heart began to beat a little faster. True, it had been a long time since he spent the night on a bed, barring the previous night with Louise, but that experience was more than uncomfortable. The idea of sleeping on a bed was appealing, but he didn't want to make siesta uncomfortable by taking up a large part of her bed.

"The bed looks a little small for two people."

"We can make it work. Just…come over here." She said as she patted the mattress.

Roxas felt his heart beat a bit faster. He really had no other reason to object. It had been a long time since he slept in a bed and Siesta was offering. Also, this atmosphere was much more appealing than what he went through with Louise, so he had no reason to be uncomfortable.

"Well…If you're ok with it." He said as he stood from his spot.

Siesta also stood up. "Here, just lay here on this side, on your back."

Roxas did as he was told, sitting on the bed before lying down on his back. Siesta then started to crawl over him, which increased his heartbeat exponentially. From this angle, their faces were very close together as Siesta moved over him. He felt the side of her thigh brush over his side before she situated herself on his left side.

"Lift your arm please." Siesta said kindly.

Roxas did as instructed, being too concentrated on his beating heart to question why. But he figured it out a second later when Siesta laid her head on his shoulder before resting her arm across his stomach.

"See, we can both fit."

Roxas felt blood rise to his cheeks as he felt Siesta's head against his shoulder, her arm resting gently across his stomach. He could vaguely feel Siesta soft breathing against his neck. It wasn't a bad feeling, just different.

Roxas took a few deep breaths as he tried to calm his beating heart. It helped a little bit, but it was still racing. He looked down at the top of her head. "Siesta, I don't know if I can sleep like this. My heart is…Really racing."

Siesta smiled a bit. He was not the only one who was nervous. She placed her arm around his chest before gently pulling herself closer. "Mine is too, but remember what I said in the bath?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"It will only get better with practice."

Roxas thought about that for a few seconds before he took another deep breath. She did have a point, but he didn't even know why his body was reacting like this. However, with a couple more deep breaths, his heartbeat had calmed down to a more pleasant speed. It was still much faster than usual, but again, it was not uncomfortable, just different.

"Your right." Roxas said as he unconsciously wrapped his arm around Siesta and pulled her a bit closer.

Siesta felt her own heart beat faster as she felt his arm around her. It felt like the time he saved her from Count Mott. Or the time he rescued her from Guiche.

Safe.

Siesta smiled a bit as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

Roxas felt his heart calm down a little after a while. He…Kind of liked the warm feeling of Siesta's body pressed against his side. It was another feeling he had never experienced before.

"There is so very much to learn." He said quietly as he began to fall asleep. "I understand so little."

It was a little while later that Roxas was fast asleep, the only sounds coming from him was his soft breathing. Siesta opened her eyes a bit as she looked up at his sleeping face. She blushed a little at how handsome he was. He looked so peaceful as he lay there sleeping.

Ever since Roxas had first shown up, he had been on her mind. He risked his life for her twice only because she was his friend. He did things that would make any mage jealous, but didn't flaunt his abilities. Instead, he used them to help others, which was something she admired. He was not afraid to speak his mind, even if it went against the beliefs of nobles. And he was kind to anyone despite being noble or commoner if they didn't get on his bad side.

Siesta raised herself a bit as she looked down at his sleeping face. She blushed a little as she remembered the time he fought and defeated all of count Mott's estate in order to save her. How he simply held her when she cried her eyes out. The warm feeling he seemed to emit when she was around him.

"Roxas." She whispered as she raised herself a bit more and maneuvered over him. She gently tucked her hair behind one of her ears before she leaned in over his face. Slowly, she lowered herself before she felt her lips pressed against his. It was nothing deep or sensual. Just a simple kiss.

Siesta move away before she looked down at his face again. He groaned a little in his sleep as he tried to get more comfortable, causing her to giggle slightly. She once again rested her head against his shoulder as she closed her eyes, completely satisfied as she fell asleep.

* * *

It was earlier the next morning that Roxas, Guiche, Montmorency, and Louise were all riding horses to Lagdorian Lake. Last night was… actually very comfortable for Roxas. One of the best night's sleeps he had gotten since he was summoned. He woke up that morning to see that Siesta's head had migrated from his shoulder to his chest. One of her arms was wrapped tightly around his chest, making it difficult to squirm out of her grasp without waking her up. His arm was wrapped securely around her as well, his hand resting on her hip.

Roxas smiled lightly as he remembered trying to leave without waking siesta up. She was a heavy sleeper and had a vice grip while she slept, but he eventually freed himself. She gowned a bit as she clutched one of the pillows, obviously annoyed at the lack of body heat.

Roxas then looked down at his lap, where Louise was. Currently, she was sleeping while they made their way to the lake. It looked like she had stayed awake all night waiting for Roxas to come back, so she was a bit deprived of sleep. Roxas was really glad because he didn't know if he would be able to handle it when they were forced to be so close to each other.

It was hours later that they were finally coming up the kingdom of Gallia, where Lagdorian lake was located.

"We are almost there." Montmorency said as they continued to ride. Roxas noticed that she and Guiche didn't talk much. He didn't even try to flirt with her or anything, which was apparently driving the blond girl crazy.

It was moments later that they found themselves at the edge of the lake. Montmorency gasped at all the flooded houses and building.

"The lake is raising a lot. It was not nearly this big when I came here a long time ago." She said as she pulled out her frog familiar. She gently cut her finger before she placed a tiny drop of blood on the frogs head. It then jumped into the water.

Montmorency noticed that Roxas was watching curiously. "My family consists of mostly water mages. We make contracts with the spirit of the lake to increase out power. If she recognizes my blood then she will come." She said before her expression became stern. "Listen! Don't do anything to upset her. If you do, we will never get the tear. But not only that, our lives may also be in danger."

Roxas nodded as they waited before he gazed over the lake. The ride had taken most of the day, so the sun was nearly setting. The water reflected the sun, giving the water a heavenly glow. It was a very pretty sight.

Roxas sat down at the edge of the lake before he picked up a small stone and threw it in the water. Memories of his time with Hayner, Pence, and Olette came flooding back.

 _How about this! We all go to the beach! Why do we go to the beach? Because, we haven't gone once this entire vacation. Blue seas, Blue sky's! Let's just get on the train and GO!_

Roxas smiled softly at Hayners enthusiasm. They never did make it to the beach during that vacation. Maybe it was because the beach didn't exist in the fake twilight town, or maybe it was because he lost the money they all worked hard to get. Who knows?

Roxas frowned a bit as another memory flashed through him mind. He and Axel were on Destiny Island, watching the sun as it cast its glare over the water. However, this time, there was another person sitting on the paopu fruit tree next to him. A girl with dark, shoulder-length hair. She had blue eyes and was wearing the same black coat he and axel wore.

 _"_ _Is it that I am not supposed to exist?" asked the girl._

 _Well, what do you want to do, ….." asked axel_

 _I want…I want to be with you two." She replied._

 _Roxas glance at her before he reached over and rested his hand on top of hers. "Then, come back with us."_

 _"_ _I…I can't. Not the way I am now. But, what would it take for me to be like you?_

 _Roxas didn't really know how to answer that question. Truthfully, how was she any different than them? They were all beings that were not supposed to exist. They were all fighting for the same cause, to complete Kingdom hearts so they could truly exist. So, instead of answering the question, he, Axel, and the girl sat there watching the sunset from destiny islands._

Roxas frowned as the memory ended. What did this mean? Who was that girl and what happened to her? Was she a nobody like he and Axel? Did she fade away? But even if she did, why was he having such a hard time remembering her?

"Who are you?" Roxas whispered as he watched the sun's reflection on the water.

"Roxas!"

Roxas blinked a few times before he turned to Guiche. Guiche was pointing to the lake with his eyes wide. Roxas turned his gaze to the lake. His eyes widened a bit as well before he jumped to his feet. A large pillar of water erupted from the surface before it bubbled and morphed. Soon, it took the shape of Montmorency, who was standing in front of the spirit at the time. The spirit was huge, about the side of a tall building. It looked down at Montmorency.

"I remember you, you thing." The spirit said harshly.

Surprisingly, Montmorency didn't even look insulted. She even bowed to the spirit. "Great water spirit. We desire a part of your body." She said bluntly.

"I refuse."

Montmorency nodded her head before she slowly backed away from the spirit. She then turned to Roxas and Guiche. "Well, we tried, but there is nothing we can do about this." She said before she started to walk away.

Roxas grit his teeth. He did not come all this way to be refused, nor was he going to deal with Louise acting like this for the next year. He roughly pushed passed Montmorency before he stood in front of the spirit.

Montmorency looked mortified before she tried to stop him. "Roxas, DON'T!"

Roxas ignored her before he stood in front of the spirit. "We need your tear! What do I need to do in order to get it?" He asked, showing no sign of fear before the large spirit.

The spirit stared at him for the longest time before her shape began to morph again. It was only a second before the water began to reconstruct itself. When it was done, Roxas's eyes widened. The water spirit took the shape of a girl again, but this time she was wearing the same coat as him. She had hair that was barely shorter than shoulder length and her face had a striking resemblance to Kairi.

It was the girl from his memory.

"How nostalgic." The spirit said.

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked up at the spirit. "What's nostalgic?"

"It's nothing. If you want a piece of my body, then you will have to stop the two that are attacking me." The spirit said.

"There is something attacking you? Why?"

"I know not, but that is the task I require of you."

Roxas nodded his head. "If we can stop them, will you give us the tear?"

"I promise." The spirit said. She remained for a few moments, staring at Roxas curiously before her form dissolved, leaving a pillar of water to splash beneath the surface of the lake. Roxas stared at the spot for a second in wonder. Why did the water spirit take that form? It was no coincidence. Somehow, that water spirit knew something about the girl in his memory. But how?

Roxas shook his head before he turned to Montmorency and Guiche. He would ask the spirit later when they got the tear. Right now, they had to stop an attack of some sort.

"Roxas." Guiche said, getting his attention. "I guess we need to wait in the woods for whoever is going to attack the water spirit."

"NO! I don't want to fight!" Montmorency said as she crossed her arms.

"Find then, don't. I will handle them myself." Roxas snapped as he walked into the tree line.

"I will assist you Roxas." Guiche said as he flipped his hair dramatically.

Roxas looked at him, his eyebrow raised before he gave a small smile. "Thanks."

* * *

The stars were shining brightly, reflecting off the surface of the water as Roxas, Guiche, Montmorency, and Louise were waiting for the attack on the spirit. It had been a nightmare when Louise had awakened, but luckily, since Montmorency was not going to help in the fighting, she was tasked to keep Louise occupied while Guiche and Roxas kept watch.

Roxas sat there cross-legged at the edge of the tree line, waiting for anyone to come by. So far, it had been quiet ever since there interaction with the water spirit.

A soft crunch of grass caught Roxas's attention. He turned around to see Guiche walking up to him before sitting down. They didn't share any words, just sat there quietly. It was a very awkward atmosphere because Roxas was used to Guiche running his mouth, flamboyantly describing some event in his life. But during most of the ride, he had been a bit quiet.

"Roxas?" Guiche asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you have a plan?"

Roxas shook his head. "No. They really shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"I don't think it would be wise to just jump in and attack. They must be incredibly powerful mages in order to take on the water spirit of Lagdorian Lake." He replied. "I think a better idea would be to distract them while you go for the surprise attack."

Roxas looked at Guiche, his eyebrows disappearing into hid hairline. There was a rare determination in Guiche's eyes, which Roxas was not used to. "Why are you helping me? Why did you even come with us?" asked Roxas.

Guiche gave a small smile as he looked over the lake. "Louise was the one that drank that potion instead of me. If…if I were in the same situation as her, I would like to think that someone would do the same for me." He said before he laughed bitterly. "The chance is unlikely though. If Louise hadn't of drank that potion, I would be under Montmorency's control. Just the thought of having my will taken away from me…It's frightening. Especially when I see how Louise is acting."

"Are you angry at Montmorency?"

Guche gave a small laugh. "You know, when I first heard what she did, I was flattered…I thought that she must really like me in order to give me a Love potion…But, When you explained it from your perspective and I witnessed how Louise was acting, I really saw how terrible it would have been." He said before he shook his head. "Just imagining that I would have ended up like how Louise is now…How do you think I feel? I don't know if I can look at Montmorency the same way after she tried to do that to me. Especially when the effects of the potion were as long lasting as they are."

Roxas stared at Guiche. He had never seen the boy so serious before. The things he was talking about seemed almost alien as they came out of his mouth.

Guiche continued. "It's like you said. It's fake love. I know my heart wanders to other girls on occasion, but to enslave someone with love…Just because they didn't want someone else cheating on them…"

Roxas nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true. I may not know much about love, but what meaning does it have if it's fake."

Guiche nodded before his eyes caught sight of something near the side of the lake. "Hey, there is someone there!" Guiche whispered as he pointed through the trees.

Roxas looked over to the side of the water as well. Guiche was right. There were two people standing there in hooded cloaks. One had a long staff out and was chanting a spell.

Guiche turned to Roxas with his rose out. "Are you ready, Roxas?"

Roxas turned to Guiche before nodded. Guiche stood form his spot while Roxas moved around the trees. Guiche raised his wand and started chanting a spell. "Earth, the great mother! Answer my words and become a moving wall." He said as he waved his rose. Immediately, the ground shifted before it burst forth in several columns. The columns shot at the two mages as they stood there. However, they were extremely quick to react. The one with the staff immediately turned towards the earth before thrusting the staff forward. A gust of wind erupted from the tip, completely destroying the earth columns before they got too close.

Guiche narrowed his eyes before he waved his rose a few more times, causing more earth to raise from the ground and attack the mages. This time, the other hooded figure extended a wand before a large fireball shot forth and consumed the earth easily. The figure other person pointed their staff at Guiche before a large gust of wind shot at the dot mage.

Guiche quickly waved his rose and summoned forth a wall or earth from the ground, which the wind channel crashed into. Wind sprayed in all directions as the two forces met, but Guiche's wall prevailed. Guiche thrust his rose at the wall, causing the wall to shatter into fragments of earth spikes before they launched themselves at the two mages.

The mage with the wand summoned a large ball of fire, which shot into the midst of the earth spikes, causing al the projectiles off their given course. They flew in all directions around the two mages, landing harmlessly on the ground.

In the midst of the battle, Roxas shot out of the forest, gliding toward the two mages. He immediately jumped into the air, swinging his Keyblade at the closest mage.

The mage noticed him approach though before raising his wand. Fire erupted from the tip before it shot at Roxas. Roxas narrowed his eye before he extended the Oathkeeper in midair.

"Reflect."

The fire collided with the spell before the shield shattered. The fragments of light exploded causing both mages to quickly jump away. The taller one stumbled to the ground, but the mage with the staff quickly chanted a spell before ice spikes materialized in front of them. They immediately shot at Roxas.

Roxas swung his Oblivion smashing a few of the ice spikes to pieces before he extended the Oathkeeper. "FIRE!"

A stream of fire encircled Roxas, the heat completely melting the rest of the spikes before they could reach the nobody. When the flames died down, Roxas extended the Oathkeeper and pointed it at the two mages. "My turn. Blizzard!"

Ice erupted from the Oathkeeper before it shot at the two mages. The taller mage was standing now before he raised his wand and chanted a spell. Fire came forth and collided with the ice projectile. The Collison of fire and ice caused a small explosion, sending a cool mist over the battle ground. Roxas used the mist as a cover as he quickly dashed through the center.

The shorter mage with the staff chanted a small wind spell that blew the mist away, only to reveal Roxas heading toward them at a frightening speed. When he was close enough, he swung both his Keyblades at the mages. Quickly, the shorter mage slammed the staff onto the ground right as Roxas attacked. Roxas's Keyblades hit a barrier with a devastating force. Roxas continued to push against the barrier until it began to crack. He barely saw the taller mage extended a wand at him as the barrier was about to give way. A large fireball ejected from the wand and flew straight at him.

Roxas jumped back before swinging the Oathkeeper. "ARIO!"

Immediately, a channel of wind surrounded him. The fireball collided with the wall of wind, trying to break though, but it didn't have enough power. The fireball dispersed into tiny embers of flame as the Ario spell send wind and sand flying in all directions. The power of the wind spell was enough to send the two mages stumbling to the ground, however, both quickly recovered, pointing the wand and staff at Roxas, who was standing there with both Keyblades out, ready for the next move.

Roxas had to admit, these two were good. They were much better than Count Mott, Turenne, and Guiche combined. It had been a while since he had to give this much effort against an opponent. Truthfully, it was a bit…fun.

Roxas gave a smirk before he crouched down, ready to attack again. He was just about to launch at the two mages before a pink-haired girl stood right in the middle of the battle. Roxas's eyes widened as he recognized the person before she raised her wand. He braced for impact.

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT ROXAS!" Louise shouted as she whipped her want forward. An enormous explosion erupted from Louis's wand, sending both Roxas and the two mages flying through the air in opposite directions. Roxas rolled over his shoulder before landing on his feed, waiting for the dust to settle.

It didn't take long before he saw Louise and the mages again. Both of their hoods had been blown off by the explosions, but he really didn't care. He was about to attack, but then he recognized the very unique shade of blue and red hair.

"Hold on a second. Tabitha! Kirche!" Roxas exclaimed.

Both mages blinked a few times before they recognized the boy who attacked them. "Roxas?" Kirche asked as she looked though the dust. "It is, Its Roxas!" she exclaimed as she looked around. She saw the other people standing in the tree line as well. "Guiche, Montmorency, and Louise? What are you all doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Roxas said as he let the Oblivion and Oathkeeper disappear.

When everything had settled down, Roxas had explained the entire situation to Kirche and Tabitha. About how Montmorency brewed a love potion, how Louise drank it by accident, and about needing the tear of the water spirit.

"I see, so that's how it is." Kirche said before she turned to Montmorency. "But why would you make a love potion in the first place?"

Guiche frowned before he turned away from the group and began to walk away. Montmorency looked a little surprised as she watches him depart before her shoulders slumped a bit. "I was just experimenting."

Roxas narrowed his eyes at her before he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. We need to get the tear. If we don't, Louise will be stuck like this for 6 months to a year." He growled. Currently, Louise had her arms around his chest, snuggling up to him as she glared at Kirche and Tabitha. Her eyes were a bit droopy from expelling that much power in the spell, but she still had enough energy to be jealous.

Kirche nodded as she began to understand the situation. "As much as we would like to help you, we have to defeat the water spirit. Lagdorian Lake's water level has been raising for a while now. If Tabitha and I don't stop it, Tabitha will get in trouble. It is our mission to stop the water spirit."

"Why is the water spirit flooding the lake anyway?" Asked Roxas, his eyebrow raised.

"She must be mad about something." Montmorency replied. "She has always had a quick temper and a very low tolerance for humans."

"Well, can't we just ask? Maybe it's something we can fix."

Montmorency thought about it for a few seconds before nodding. "That could work."

* * *

It was a few seconds later that Montmorency set her familiar to fetch the water spirit. It didn't take nearly as long before a pillar of water erupted from the surface of the lake. Her form was the same as before. The girl from Roxas's memory.

Roxas resisted the urge to ask about the form before he carefully approached the spirit of the lake. There were more important things to worry about right now.

"Have you accomplished my task?" The water spirit asked, her voice echoing across the lake.

Roxas nodded his head. "We stopped the attack. These mages where ordered to stop you from rising the water level." Roxas said before he cleared his throat. "Why are you flooding the lake in the first place?"

The water rippled around the body of the water spirit for a few seconds as she stood above the lake. "Humans have recently stolen something from me. If I flood the entire world, I will eventually get it back."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What was stolen?"

"A treasure than had been with me for eternity. The Andvari Ring."

Montmorency gasped, causing everyone to look in her direction. "The Andvari Ring! That is supposed to grand one artificial life. I have only heard about it in textbooks."

"Who took it?" asked Kirche.

"All I know is that it was a man named Cromwell." The spirit replied back.

Roxas nodded. "Then I will find him and get your ring back. I promise." He said as he addressed the spirit.

Montmorency rolled her eyes before she gave a quiet scoff. There was no way that the spirit was going to listen to Roxas. She could barely tolerate humans, and as such would never trust one.

Guiche also understood this as he walked up to Roxas before resting a hand on his shoulder. "It's no use making a promise to an eternal being. They will never believe the words of a human."

The spirit looked down at Roxas before she began to shrink in size. "You. Young Nothing. Come here." She said as she pointed to Roxas.

Everyone raised an eyebrow as they looked between the spirit and Roxas. The spirit continued to shrink before it was about their size. It then began to walk closer until it was at the edge of the water. "Come here, Young nothing." She repeated.

Roxas narrowed his eyes a bit before he cautiously walked forward. Guiche, Montmorency, Kirche, and Tabitha all watched, complete perplexed at the situation. Louise didn't do anything as she was asleep now, exhausted from the use of her particularly large explosion.

Roxas stopped right at the edge of the water, only a couple feet from the water spirit. The spirit stared into Roxas's eyes for the longest time, almost as if to look into his very soul.

"It really is Nostalgic." The spirit said as she continued to stare at him. "I will trust you, Key bearer."

"WHAT!" Everyone gasped as they looked at the water spirit. A small vile broke away from her body and gently flew towards Roxas. He reached out his hand and caught it, a surprised look crossing his face. How did this spirit know about Key bearers?

"Why? Why would you trust Roxas?" Montmorency asked, a bit jealous of the nobody for having the spirits trust already.

The water spirit was quiet for a long time. "I have been around for an eternity. Six millennia ago, Kimasaru and Gandalfr kept this world from plunging into the darkness. Kimasaru was a bearer of the Keyblade that survived the aftermath of the Keyblade war. I know that Key bearers can be trusted. For they are the ones that protect the worlds from falling into darkness, just like Kimasaru and Gandalfr did for this world. Besides, this is but a small thing compared to the sacrifices of Gandalfr and Kimasaru."

Roxas felt his mouth drop open while the rest of the group just stared at the water Spirit in confusion. "You met someone who could use a Keyblade?" asked Roxas

The water spirit nodded. "I have. Though it has been six Millennia since I have seen one. It seems that the heart of this world senses that another Key bearer is needed to protect it, just like how Kimasaru did."

Roxas frowned a bit. "Why would this world need me?" He said before he looked down at the ground. "I am nothing. A mere shell of someone else."

"Darkness is approaching in the future and we will need your power, Young Nothing. For that is the reason you were brought here through the void." The spirit said.

Roxas was very confused now. The heart of this world called him here through Louise? So it wasn't just a coincidence that he was summoned? He was actually needed?

"I trust your word. I will lower the water level, Young Nothing." She said as she continued to stare at him. "It's strange. In all my years, I have never seen such a sorrowful excuse of an existence as yours. Nothing but a mere shell of something else." She said, causing Roxas to look up at her. "But you are destined to do great things, young Nothing." The water spirit began to retreat back into the midst of the lake

Roxas watched as the water spirit began to retreat back into the lake. "Wait!" he shouted.

The spirit stopped before she sank into the water. She looked back at Roxas, waiting for him to speak.

"Why…Why did you take that form? Who is she?" Roxas asked, his curiosity about to burst.

The spirit paused for a second. "This form is of someone that is very precious to you. Even though her existence was all but erased, your heart refused to forget her. The memories of her were locked deep inside of you, never to be forgotten."

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows. "But…But why am I remembering her now?"

"The runes of Gandalfr were supposed to subject the mind and will of the familiar to the master. They penetrated you heart and mind, but you forcefully removed them by the power of your Keyblade. It seems that when you removed them, they released the memories that were locked within your heart. If you continue to think about her, the more you will remember."

Roxas felt himself shaking. So, that girl really did exist. But what happened to her. Her existence was erased, but his heart refused to forget…

His heart.

Roxas looked back to the sandy beach, his hands clenched. "But…Nobody's are not supposed to have hearts. We don't feel. We are not supposed to exist."

"You're wrong."

Roxas's gaze shot up towards the water spirit. "What do you mean?"

The spirit shook her head. "As much as I don't like humans, I cannot deny the power of their hearts. A heart can be cast from the body, but the body will try and replace it the first chance it gets." She said as she continued to stare at the nobody. "Through your experiences, your body has created a replacement for the heart that you lost. Though it is still very young, if you continue to nurture it, you will be no different than those that were born with hearts. But beware of the darkness. Since your heart is so young, it is also very vulnerable to it." The spirit finished before she sank below the surface of the water.

Roxas stared in awe of what he had just learned. Though he has suspected that something was there, the confirmation was clear.

He had a heart.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through his head.

 _"_ _A heart is never lost, for good. There may have been variance, you know dispositions. But a number of us unquestionably showed signs of a replacement. Once born, the heart can also be nurtured. Our experiments creating heartless were an attempt to control the mind and convince it to renounce its sense of self. But understand, one can banish the heart from the body, but the body will try to replace it the first chance it gets, for as many times as it takes. And so I knew, even after we were divided into heartless and nobody's, that it been only a temporary separation."_

Roxas blinked a few times as even more confirmation surfaced.

But.

If nobody's had the ability to grow their own hearts, why were they told otherwise? What was the point of Kingdom heart and Xemans's plan if they never needed it in the first place?

There were so many questions going on in Roxas's mind that it was nearly overloading his brain. He shook his head a few times before he turned around to see everyone staring at him. They had heard everything that the spirit had told him, but it looked like they were just as confused, if not more, than he was.

"Roxas, what in the world was that about?" asked Kirche. "I didn't understand half of what she was saying?"

Roxas felt his gaze drop to the ground. "It's…It's too complicated to explain right now. Please give me time to figure out how to find words to describe it." He said quietly.

Everyone stared at him skeptically. Roxas looked more than overwhelmed by the amount of information the spirit had given him. They ultimately decided to honor Roxas's wishes and leave it for another day.

Tabitha approached him before she reached up and tugged his sleeve. He looked into her blue eyes.

"Debt."

Roxas gave a small chuckle as he looked over at Kirche. "Who gave you the order to attack a water spirit anyway?" he asked.

"It was an order from the king." Kirche said. "Tabitha's uncle."

Roxas frowned. "They asked you to take on something like a water spirit. Why did they send you two?"

"Well…umm…."Kirche said as she looked at Tabitha.

Roxas followed her gaze until he noticed that Tabitha was staring at him, her mouth opening and closing a few times as if she wanted to ask him something. Roxas frowned a bit.

"I have seen you do that a few times. Is there something you want to ask me?"

Tabitha stared at him again before she gave a small nod. "Would…would you look at my mother?"

Roxas cocked his eyebrow in confusion, but Kirche gave a small gasp of realization. "Oh! You think Roxas's healing spell might work on her?"

Tabitha bit her lower lip. "Don't want to get my hopes up."

Roxas looked between the Kirche and Tabitha a few times. "Is there something wrong with her?"

Kirche gave a large sigh. "Yes. Something bad. We don't know if your spell will work, but it's worth a shot. Will you come with us Roxas?"

Roxas paused for a moment as he looked over at Guiche, Montmorency, and the sleeping Louise. He looked back at Tabitha and Kirche. Both of them had a pleading look in their eyes, almost desperate for his help. He really didn't have a reason to say no and they were his friends.

Making a decision, Roxas nodded before he turned to Guiche. "Guiche, could you take Louise back to the academy and give her the antidote. I'm going with them."

Guiche gave a nod of understanding. "Of course Roxas."

Roxas turned to Tabitha and Kirche. "Lead the way."

* * *

 **Authors Note: there you have it. A Keyblade master existed in the time of Brimir and Gandalfr. This will be crucial information for the future of the story. It is all connected…So I promise this was not a random whim I had to add a Keyblade wielder back in the time of Brimier. It is all part of the story. It will be revealed in future chapters, so look forward to it. Also, the reason that Roxas is remembering Xion is finally revealed. How did you like it? It was a stretch, but I hope it was acceptable reasoning.**

 **Before you spam my reviews saying things like "Guiche is very oc in this fic." I already know. I wanted to give him a more serious side and I already know he didn't react like that in cannon. But seriously, if you found out that someone almost slipped you a love potion that made you act like Louise, would you be ok with that? I know I would not. I would be frigging pissed off like no other. No matter what the reason.**

 **So, how did it do? Like it? Hate it? It was a very fun chapter to write. I thought it would be cool if I added a little element of the Keyblade war in my story, and again, it is all connected. So no worries.**

 **Anyway, thank you for the support on the story. Please leave a review of your thoughts and look forwarded to the next chapter. It will be a little smaller in length, but I should be able to get it out a bit faster than this one.**

 **Until then, Later!**

 **PS. How to pronounce Kimasaru. (Kim – a – sar – o). He is another OC I made. Just saying.**


	11. Chapter 11: Friends

**Authors Note: Hey guys. Glad you liked the last chapter of the story. It was great to read your thoughts and comments about how it went.**

 **I am going to take a moment and just say thanks. Thank you for the support on the story, the meaningful feedback I get through reviews, the suggestions on how I could make this story better, and the encouragement you give me to continue this story. It means a lot because it tells me that you all enjoy my style of writing. I know it's not perfect, but I will only get better through practice.**

 **I want to give a few stats while I am here. Currently this story has 300+ reviews (Insane, might I add), 220+ favorites, 250+ follows, and a ton of views. (I can't get you the exact number because the stats view counter is offline for a week for some reason, but it is over 21K views when it last registered, which is unbelievable.) The story itself reached 100K+ words with this chapter.**

 **I am very glad that you all enjoy this story and I hope you enjoy what I have planned for the future.**

 **Anyway, this chapter was a beast to write. I will say it again; this is my first fanfiction, so writing about developing relationships is a bit difficult. That is why this chapter took as much time as it did. Also for the fact that my rough draft started with less than 2K words. I added 8K to the chapter and made it much better (in my opinion). It took a lot of work and thought, so I hope you like it. And if you do, please leave me some love. It was very hard to get this one done in the time it took.**

 **Warning…You know the drill by now.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **P.S. Gosh dang it guest reviewer Blarg7865. You totally guessed it. So much for a cool surprise now. But sorry, No Esuna.**

 **P.S.S. I said I SHOULD be able to get the one out earlier, but because of the sheer amount of words I added to this chapter it did not happen. Patience nameless guest reviewer. I'm not getting paid to do this.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 11

It was a very quiet ride from Lagdorian Lake to where Tabitha lived. But even though words were not spoken, thoughts were bombarding the three individuals that were riding on the back of Sylphid.

Roxas's mind was in utter chaos, completely confused as to what to think now. His entire existence consisted of people telling him that he was a being that was just meant to fade away into nothingness. Organization 13 claimed to not have hearts, nor would they ever obtain one without the power of kingdom hearts. But, what the water spirit had just said to him completely contradicted that. She said that nobody's like him where capable of growing their own hearts.

But if that were true, then what was the point of Xemnas's plan? If they could grow their own hearts, why did they need Kingdom hearts? Why did he fight so hard to destroy the heartless if it wasn't needed in the first place? What was the point of the whole year he spent in the organization?

That was only one question though. The water spirit also confirmed that the girl in his memory was not just a figment of his imagination. She was real. She existed at some point in his life and apparently, she was very important to him and Axel.

But if that were true, what happened to her? Why did he forget everything about this girl?

And…what in the world were the runes of Gandalfr? The runes he removed where the familiar runes that tried to warp his mind and force him to forget what few memories he actually had. Where the familiar runes and the runes of Gandalfr connected somehow? Were they important?

Roxas was not the only one that had a lot on his mind. Kirche also had a lot to dwell on after all she heard from the water spirit. There was a lot said that she could not make sense of. Most of it had to do with Roxas. What was the heart of this world? What did the spirit mean when she said that Roxas was called here to protect this world? What was the darkness that the water spirit feared? And how did it put this world in danger? What were the runes of Gandalfr that the water spirit claimed Roxas had removed? There were too many questions to ask and not nearly enough answers.

Tabitha was also curious about all these questions, but her mind was focused on something else. She bit her bottom lip as she hoped and prayed that Roxas's healing spell would be able to help her mother somehow. Each time she visited her mother and saw the state she was still in, it seemed to take a bit more out of her.

But, even though Roxas's healing spell was powerful, she really didn't want to get her hopes to high. She had hired the best healers, tried every antidote she could find on the market, and did everything she could think of to cure her mother's insanity. But the potion held strong. The only ones that could make a portion of that caliber were the elves and there was no way that she could get an antidote from them.

Tabitha glanced back at Roxas, who was holding onto Sylphid neck, his eyes staring down at the trees as they passed over them. The wind was whipping gently against his golden hair, though it did nothing to bother him. He was the only hope she had in a long time. Ever since she saw him heal that little girl in Tristania, her mind kept begging the question…

Could he heal her mother?

She wanted to ask so many times, but her doubts kept her from speaking her mind. She really didn't want to lose the hope she had of seeing her mother sane again. To be able to hug her mother without her screaming out in horror. To have her mother actually recognize her as her own daughter for the first time in years.

Tabitha's lower lip trembled a little more as she continued to think about it. What if it didn't work? What if he couldn't heal her? It would be like nothing ever changed and she would be without hope again. Just the thought was frightening.

Tabitha turned forward again as she saw her home coming into view. How she hated that place and the memories it brought. She remembered how her mother sacrificed her own sanity to keep her safe and the nightmare that followed. If this didn't work…she didn't even want to think about it. Maybe there was never a cure to begin with and she would be cursed to never have her mother back again.

* * *

Soon, Sylphid landed in the courtyard of a massive castle. Roxas hopped off the dragon before he stared up at the large estate. It was HUGE. Not as big as the castle in the world that never was, but it was still impressive.

Tabitha and Kirche jumped down as well before Tabitha turned to Roxas. "Please come with me." She said, her voice a little shaky.

Roxas nodded and was about to follow before he felt a small tug on the back of his coat. He looked behind to see Sylphid with a mouthful of his jacket. The dragon suddenly let go before she stared over at Tabitha. Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion before he also turned to Tabitha.

Tabitha and Sylphid stared at each other for the longest time before Tabitha gave a very small sigh. "Very well, but wait until after this works." She said, causing the dragon to coo contently before she lowered her head and licked the side of Roxas's face.

Roxas was even more confused than before as he rubbed the saliva off his face with the sleeve of his coat. He didn't get what just happened, but it didn't really matter right now.

Tabitha turned and waked toward the castle with Kirche right behind her. Kirche had a knowing smile on her face, but made sure Roxas didn't see it. Roxas followed after the two girls as they walked up to the huge entrance to the castle.

Just as they walked up to the front door, it opened to reveal an elderly gentleman wearing a suit. He had white hair and wore glasses. When he saw Tabitha approaching, he gave a soft smile that was warm and welcoming. You could also tell by the look on his face that he was very relieved as well.

"Welcome back Lady Charlotte. Was the mission a success?"

Tabitha gave a small nod before she walked past the butler and through the front door. The butler then noticed Kirche approach next. "You have my gratitude for helping milady accomplish her mission. I was a bit worried about this one, but she looks like she has good friends that are willing to help her." He said with a smile.

Kirche smiled back. "Of course. But it was easier than expected, with his help." Kirche said as she turned and gestured to Roxas.

The butler turned to see Roxas standing there. He raised an eyebrow before he turned to Kirche. "Is this another friend Lady Charlotte?" he asked, causing Kirche to nod her head.

The butler turned back to Roxas before he gave another soft smile. "It's wonderful to have so many guests visit the castle. It has been a bit quiet since the tragedy. I am glad that Lady Charlotte has made so many friends. My name is Percerin. I am the butler for the Orleans family."

"I'm Roxas." Roxas replied back before he raised an eyebrow. "Who's Charlotte?"

The butler gave a small, but bitter laugh as he closed his eyes and shook his head. "That is Tabitha's real name. It appears that I will also have to explain the story to you as well?"

"Story?" Roxas asked.

"No…not right now."

Roxas, Kirche, and Percerin turned to see Tabitha standing there. She was biting her lower lip with a very unsure look in her eyes. Percerin blinked a few times because he was not sure he was seeing this correctly. Ever since the tragedy, Charlotte had kept her emotions firmly locked within herself. But now, her face was displaying an emotion she had not showing in a long time.

Vulnerability.

Percerin looked back at Roxas, his eyes wide. He didn't know what was going on, but this boy was connected. Why was he even here in the first place? Sure, he was Charlotte's friend, but how did he get all the way here to Gallia? And what was he doing here?

"Percerin, please make tea. We-We have something that we need to do." Tabitha said. With each word, she could feel her mask crumbling a bit more.

Percerin could not believe what he was seeing, but complied anyway. It had been a long time since she had shown emotions and he was not going to get in the way of that.

"Right away." He said before he gave a small bow. He turned and made his way to the kitchen.

They watched as Percerin departed before Tabitha turned to Roxas and Kirche. She lowered her head a little as she bit her lower lip. "Come." She said before she turned and made her way down the hall.

Roxas and Kirche looked at each other for a second before they followed. They swerved down a couple of hallways before they found themselves standing in front of a specific room. Tabitha took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she quietly pushed the door open and entered. She gestured for Roxas and Kirche to follow in after her.

The room was nearly empty, but there was a bed and one chair near a very large window. Sitting in the chair was a woman with long blue hair. She was sleeping soundly with a doll clutched in her hands. As they drew nearer, Tabitha turned to Roxas and Kirche before she placed a finger over her lips, silently telling them to be quiet. Both Roxas and Kirche could see the desperation in her eyes as they continued to approach the woman.

When they were close enough, Roxas eyes widened a bit when he saw the condition this woman was in. She was very thin, her cheekbones clearly showing. She had bags under her eyes and looked like she had not eaten in days. Roxas raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Tabitha.

Tabitha had a sullen look on her face as she gazed upon the woman.

"My mother." She whispered. Even though Roxas and Kirche barely heard her, it was easy to tell by the sound of her voice that she was deeply saddened.

Roxas nodded before he walked a bit closer, standing next to Tabitha in the process. "What happened to her?" he whispered back.

Tabitha felt her lower lip tremble a little bit, trying to work up the strength to explain what happened.

Kirche saw her friend struggling so she also walked up and stood next to them. "Would you like me to explain it Tabitha?" she asked, an understanding look crossing her features.

Tabitha looked over at her longtime friend before she gave a nod. "Thank you."

Kirche turned to Roxas before giving a small sigh. "Roxas, before I explain what happened, you need to know a little about Tabitha and her family." She started.

"…Ok." Roxas said as he looked over at her.

"Tabitha's grandfather, the king of Gallia, passed away 5 years ago. The people were divided among the two heirs of the throne. One of them was Tabitha's father, Charles. The other was her uncle, Joseph. Long story short, Joseph had Charles killed in the feud and he was able to seize the throne."

Roxas blinked a few times before his eyes widened. "So, that means Tabitha's uncle is the king…and he became the king because he killed Tabitha's father?"

Tabitha nodded her head. "Yes." She said quietly.

Roxas ground his teeth. It was not the first time he had heard of such a thing, but it still angered him to learn how some of these nobles obtained there political power. He looked over at Kirche for her to continue.

"Even the death of his brother was not enough for Joseph. He came after Tabitha next." Kirche said as her eyes narrowed a bit. "During a party, Tabitha was given a glass of water that was spiked with a potion that induces insanity."

Roxas felt his teeth grind together as the story continued to unfold. Why would someone do this to her? Wasn't killing her father enough? Roxas then looked over at Tabitha, who was staring at her mother with a downcast expression. His eyes widened a bit when he realized where this was going.

"So, Tabitha's mother…"

Kirche nodded. "She realized that the water was laced, so she drank the potion herself, saving Tabitha in the process."

Roxas reached up and rubbed his eyes, trying to quell the amount of rage he was feeling. "So, it wasn't enough that she lost her father, but they also took her mother as well." He said as he lowered his hand and looked at Tabitha. She had turned her gaze to meet his, a pleading look in her eyes.

"I-I have tried everything I know to undo the potion effects, but nothing has worked." She said as her lower lip trembled. "I was about to give up hope, but…I saw how you healed that girl in Tristania, and…I could only hope that you could do something for my mother."

Roxas nodded in understanding. It really hurt to see Tabitha like this. She was usually so composed, so in control of her emotions that she didn't seem to have any at all. But now, she looked desperate. She really wanted her mother back and Roxas really wanted to help.

But…

Roxas gave a small sigh as he looked over the thin woman that was Tabitha's mother. "Tabitha, I am well versed in light magic…in fact, it is my specialty. I can heal just about any physical injury or illness, but this…" he said as he gestured to her mother. "This is not physical. It is the effects of a potion. The spell you saw me use is meant to heal, but it cannot undo the effects of potions."

Tabitha nearly felt her world shatter when she heard his explanation. Her gaze fell to the ground as her hope began to crumble. This is what she feared would happen. She would get her hopes up, only to have them come crashing down. Tabitha sniffed a bit as she tried to mask her emotions, though it was futile. Tears were already starting to well up in her blue eyes.

"But…I may have something that might work."

Immediately, Tabitha's head shot up as she looked into Roxas's eyes. He looked a bit unsure, and even hesitant, but the conviction was there. Her heart started to hammer in her chest.

Roxas sighed a bit. He only had a few of them that were for emergencies, but…Tabitha was his friend and he could tell that she needed it more than he did.

Roxas reached into one of the pockets of his coat before he grasped what he needed.

An elixir. One of the most powerful potions the Moogles could synthesize.

He pulled the precious item out of his pocket and showed it to the two girls.

Tabitha and Kirche stared at the glowing bottle in Roxas's hand. It fluid inside looked as if it were made of liquid gold. It even brightened up the room a bit with the amount of power it seemed to display. It was almost hypnotic the way it pulled in your attention.

Tabitha tore her gaze away from the bottle before she looked up at Roxas. "What is it?"

"Elixir." Roxas said simply.

Kirche raised an eyebrow as she too looked at Roxas. "I have seen plenty of elixirs in my life, but none like this. Where did you get it?"

"I had it on me when I was summoned. This Elixir is vastly different from the ones you have seen. When I was low on magic and could not heal myself when fighting, this was one of the potions that kept me alive." He said before he turned to Tabitha. "It is made specifically to heal any injury and fully replenish you magic…but it also has the ability to remove negative potion effects."

Tabitha's eyes widened a bit as she registered what he was saying. She looked at the golden liquid again. Just by the look of it, this elixir was far more advanced than any potion she had ever seen in her life. It seemed to radiate with power…and that power could help her mother.

"What-what do you want for it? I will do anything. I will give anything." Tabitha said with a slightly cracked voice.

Roxas raised his eyebrows in surprised. "What do you mean? You are my friend Tabitha and I can tell that you need this a lot more than I do right now. If there is no other way, than this elixir will probably do the trick." He said as he extended to potion over to Tabitha.

Tabitha's eyes widened a bit as she looked into Roxas's eyes. "But why? Why would you just give me something so valuable?"

"Because…you are my friend. If I have the power to help you, then I will." He said, conviction in his eyes as he reached down with his other hand, grasped her wrist, and gently placed the elixir in her palm.

Tabitha could literally feel the power of the potion in her hand. It was a warm feeling, almost as if it were alive. She looked up at Roxas, who had released her and took a step back. "You do it. It is your mother."

Tabitha looked between him and the elixir a few time. She could not believe that Roxas had just given her something so valuable. However, this also made her extremely nervous about this, but it was her only hope. She would place her trust in Roxas. She would have hope that he was right about this. After all, what else could she have hope in right now?

Tabitha turned to her mother, who was still sleeping in the chair before she gently unscrewed the top off of the glass bottle. Gingerly, she reached down and clasped the back of her mother's neck and gently tilde her head back slightly. With her other hand, she tipped the liquid out of the bottle. It looked like drops of molten gold as they fell from the glass container before they went into her mother's mouth.

Unconsciously, Tabitha's mother licked her lips as the elixir was emptied down her throat. With one gulp, it was fully ingested.

Tabitha took a step back to see what would happen. She was holding the empty bottle in front of her with both hands as she prayed for the success of the elixir.

She didn't have to wait long before a vibrant, golden glow suddenly emitted from her mother's body. Her mother's eyes shot open as the glow began to encompass the whole room, causing everyone to shield their eyes from the light.

It was only a few seconds later before the light dimmed down. Tabitha still had her arms over her eyes, not sure if she even wanted to know what happened. Her heart was still hammering against her chest. What if it didn't work? What if it had made her mother worse than before?

"C-Charlotte?"

Tabitha felt her breath caught in her throat. Her breathing increased until it was coming out in short gasps. She was almost too afraid to lower her arm.

"Charlotte…Is-Is that you?"

Slowly, Tabitha lowered her arm and looked at the woman sitting in the chair. Her eyes widened immediately as tears began to fall down her cheeks. She dropped the empty glass bottle, which shattered on the grown before her hands went to her mouth.

"M-Mother?"

Slowly, a doll fell from the woman's grasp as it hit the ground with a dull thud. "Charlotte…What-What happened? What's going on?" Tabitha's mother asked as she looked directly at Tabitha and tried to stand from her seat. However, she only got halfway before she fell down again. She looked down at the state of her body before she gasped. "Why-Why am I so frail?"

Tears were streaming down Tabitha's face as she gently approached her mother. She knelt down in front of her. "Mother, Your-Your back." She cried as she buried her face into her mother's lap.

Tabitha's mother blinked a few times as she gently stroked her daughter's hair. "Charlotte, what is going on? Shh…Don't cry. Please tell me what happened." She said desperately, though her words did very little to quell her daughters crying.

Roxas felt…a bit confused. Tabitha was crying. Why was she crying? It looked like the potion had worked and her mother was fine.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Kirche standing there with a smile on her face. She nodded over to the door as she gently pulled on his coat. Roxas took the hint as they both quietly left the room, leaving Tabitha and her mother alone.

* * *

Roxas followed Kirche down the hallway and to the main lobby. Kirche sat on the couch before she patted the spot next to her, inviting Roxas to sit down. Roxas was still a bit confused as to why Tabitha was crying, but he took an up her offer and sat down. Kirche gave Roxas a smile before she leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. "You know Roxas, every time I think I have you figured out, you go and pull something like this." She said as she looked up at him. She saw the confused look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Kirche…" he said as he looked down at her. "Why was she crying? Didn't the elixir work?"

Kirche blinked a few times as she pushed off of him. Was he serious? Did he really not understand? She stared into his eyes to see if he was really asking that question. To her surprise, he was serious. He really didn't know.

"Roxas, do you really not know?"

Roxas nodded. "I don't. When I rescued Siesta, she also cried. It wasn't because she was sad…it was because…I don't know." He said as he gave a sigh. "I cried when I was sad. But why do some people cry when they're not?"

Kirche really could not understand why he didn't know this. But then she remembered the first time she tried to seduce him. He actually asked her what love was. But why did he not know these things.

"Roxas, why don't you understand these things. It like you doesn't understand emotions."

Roxas sighed as he looked over at her. "It's because I was born without them."

…

Kirche stared at him, trying to find any indication that he was lying…However, she found none. And that was truly frightening.

"H-How?"

"It's a long story. One that I would rather share only once, with all of my friends." He replied he looked forward and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers.

Kirche continued to stare at him before she gave a defeated sigh. She liked a mystery, but Roxas was far beyond that. He just didn't make any sense. But, she would be patient. He deserved that much. She smiled a bit as she rested her head against his shoulder again.

"I supposed your story will explain where you found an elixir like that?"

Roxas nodded. "They are only for emergencies. I only have a few of them left."

Kirche nodded as a small smile crossed her features. "That was really nice of you for giving one to Tabitha."

"She needed it."

"Yeah, I know. The reason she was crying is because she was relieved…and happy." Kirche said.

"Relived and happy? Why would you cry for those reasons?"

Kirche gently pushed away from Roxas. "Sometimes, when someone goes through a traumatic experience, they cling to the hope that everything will be alright. Tabitha had to deal with seeing her mother like that for a few years now. Having her back would definitely bring a few tears."

"Why?"

Kirche laughed a little. "I remember when you said you had friends you left behind when you were summoned. How would you feel if you saw them again?"

Immediately, Roxas choked up a bit at even the thought of seeing Axel, Hayner, Pence, and Ollete again. It confused him though. Why would he cry when he was not sad? It was almost like he was so happy he could cry.

"I…think I understand." Roxas said as he interlaced his fingers in his lap. "There are so many things I have learned, but there is still so much I have yet to understand about the heart."

"I remember the water spirit saying something like that. She said you were…growing your own heart. What did she mean?"

"Again, that is a very long story."

"So I guess she wasn't just spouting out nonsense." Kirche said as she laughed a bit before she rested her head against Roxas's shoulder. "I guess I can be a little more patient then."

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opened and out walked Percerin with a tray and a pot of tea. He set the kettle down on the table as he poured a few cups for the guests. "It is so nice to see that lady charlotte has so many friends." He said joyfully as he offered the cups to Roxas and Kirche.

Kirche leaned forward and grasped one of the cups before she took a sip. Roxas took the other one.

"And how long do you plan on staying? Should I prepare a couple of rooms for you two?"

"That would be nice Percerin." Kirche said as she lowered her glass. She was a bit tired after all of the events of the day and could seriously use some rest.

"If I may ask…" Percerin said as he looked over at Roxas. "How did you arrive here in Gallia? How long have you known Lady Charlotte?"

Roxas took a sip of his tea, cringing a bit at the bitter taste before he placed the cup back on the table. "I needed a tear of the water spirit." He said simply. "Tabitha asked me to come back with her to see if I could help her mother."

Percerin countenance fell a bit after he heard that. "Yes, she still holds the hope that milady can be cured one day." He said as he reached for the cups and placed them on the tray.

"Oh, you won't have to…" Kirche started before she felt a small tug on her sleeve. She turned to meet Roxas's gaze before she saw him shake his head.

Percerin didn't seem to notice the gesture as he picked up the tray. "I will prepare rooms for you both. I have already prepared the bath if you would like to use it." He said as he walked back to the kitchen.

Right when he left, Kirche turned her head, her eyebrow raised. "What was that about?"

"I-I don't know. I just felt that Tabitha should be able to spend some time alone with her mother…without any interruptions. If we told Percerin now, he would most likely see for himself. Let them have a moment."

Kirche stared at him for a while. "You know, for someone who does not understand why someone cries when they're happy, you sure can be thoughtful."

"I guess I am trying to learn how to follow my heart." Roxas said as he stood up. "I am going for a walk before I go to bed."

Kirche gave a small smile before she also stood from the couch. "Yeah. I think I will hit the baths. Would you like to join me?" she asked, a seductive grin crossing her face as she lowered the neck of her shirt a bit.

Roxas's face went a bit red as he thought about the time she shared a bath with Siesta. He really didn't want his heart going out of control again. "Maybe next time."

"Oh, poo" Kirche pouted before she walked up to him. She clasped his chin before she turned his face to the side slightly. She then gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she pulled back. "You know Roxas; I mean it when I say I am very grateful for what you did for Tabitha. She is one of my best friends and she didn't deserve what happened to her."

Roxas's face flared up a bit more before he turned away from her. "Y-Yeah. Like I said, if I have the power to help my friends, then I will." He said before he started to make his way out of the building. Kirche watched as he left out the door, a small smile crossing her face.

* * *

It was a cool night outside and Roxas was sitting against one of the walls of the large estate. He rested his back against the wall as he looked up into the night sky. Both moons were shining brightly, casing a calming glow across the land. The stars where shining as well, signifying the millions of other worlds out there.

Roxas really did have a lot on his mind at the moment. There was one particular thing the water spirit said that was thinking about though. Somehow, the heart of this world had called him here to defend it from the darkness. But…what did that mean? Heartless had not shown up so far in this world. Did she mean the heartless would come here in the future?

Roxas gave a deep sigh. Life was never simple was it? Was it too much to ask for a simple life? Just to be with the people that he had grown to care about and just live? Why did he always have to fight?

A friendly warble tore him front his thoughts. He looked up to see a familiar blue dragon staring at him just a few feet away. Roxas chuckled a bit as he beckoned the creature closer.

"Hey Sylphid." He said as he reached up and scratched the top of her head. "It looks like we were able to help Tabitha after all. Her mother will be fine."

Sylphid's teal eyes widened a little before she let out a happy coo, licking the side of his face before she took a few steps away.

Roxas raised an eyebrow before he saw Sylphid sitting on her haunches just out of reach, staring at him with her teal eyes. He wiped the saliva off his face with his sleeve again. "Is everything ok Sylphid?"

Suddenly, a bright blue light began to emit from off of the dragon. Roxas's eyes widened a bit as the light levels continued to increase. He actually jumped to his feet and readied himself for anything to happen. Soon, the bright light vanished, leaving Sylphid nowhere to be seen. Roxas blinked a few times, looking around for the dragon. What the hell just happened?

"Oooh, I don't know why big sis wants me to wear cloths all the time. They are so uncomfortable!"

Roxas shot his gaze to one of the trees in the courtyard, only to see a figure standing there. She was a bit taller than Tabitha…maybe about as tall as him. She had long blue hair and was pulling uncomfortable on the cloak she was wearing, almost as if she had just struggled to put it on. He raised an eyebrow as he turned towards her.

"Umm…Who are you?"

The figure stopped pulling at her cloak before she turned her attention to him. Immediately her face morphed into a massive smile before she launched at him. "ROXAS!"

Roxas was so stunned by the sudden turn of events that he didn't even register the person barreling into him before it was too late. He fell straight on his back as the girl landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground with her arms firmly latched around his neck. She was rubbing her cheek against his while cooing contently.

"Umm….Who the hell are you!" Roxas exclaimed as he sat up and tried to push the strange girl off of him.

The girl whined a bit before she latched on tighter, wrapping her legs around his waist to ensure he didn't push her off.

"Roxas, don't push me away!" She cried

Roxas had no idea what the hell was going on. He had never seen this girl in his life, yet she seemed to know him for some reason. "How do you know me?" he asked as he stopped pushing her.

The girl paused for a few moments, just to make sure that Roxas wasn't trying to push her away again. She then slowly released him before she moved away slightly, but made sure to have her hands on his shoulders. She looked into his crystal blue eyes while he looked into her teal ones. For some reason, those teal eyes were really familiar to the nobody.

The girl then smiled widely again before she let off an excited sequel. "I wanted to show you this form for so long Roxas, but big sis said I had to keep it a secret. She didn't want anyone knowing I was a Rhyme dragon."

Roxas blinked a few times as he rose and eyebrow. "A…Rhyme dragon?"

The girl nodded again, her eyes nearly sparkling. "It's me Roxas. I'm Sylphid."

…

Roxas stared at her for the longest time. "Uh…What?"

The girl nodded again as she clenched his coat in her hands and shook his a couple times out of excitement. "Yeah. I'm Tabitha's familiar, Sylphid. But I usually like to call myself Irukukwu. I don't know why, but sis named me Sylphid." She said as she puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

Roxas was still completely baffled by the turned of events. Sylphid could turn into a human form? That was pretty farfetched. But then again, he was an empty shell that could use an all-powerful weapon known as the Keyblade…and he came from another world…So maybe it wasn't that farfetched. Even so, the familiarity of the teal eyes really spoke volumes as well.

"So…you're really Sylphid?"

The blue haired girl nodded, a fanged smile crossing her face. "Uh-huh" she chirped.

"And Tabitha didn't want you showing this form to anyone, right?"

"Yep!"

"So…why did you show me?"

Sylphid…or Irukukwu smiled widely again as she nearly cloaked him out in a hug. "Big sis said if you could help her mother, I could show you this form. I wanted to show you for a long time because you were one of my first friends besides big sis." She said before she drooled a bit. "You would always bring me snacks and food every time I saw you. Not to mention big sis always seems a bit happier when we all sat on top of the academy together."

"Um…" Roxas said as he saw the slightly disturbing look on her face. Obviously she was thinking about all the delicious food he would bring her when they would sit on top of the academy and watch the sunset. "Your welcome?"

Irukukwu/Sylphid pulled back slightly, her smile was a little less extravagant this time. "I really mean it. Thank you for helping bit sis. Ever since she saw you heal that little girl, she has been wondering if you could help her."

Roxas stared into her teal eyes for a few moments, still trying to process that Sylphid had the ability to change into human form. He blinked a few times before he gently pushed her away. "It's no big deal." He said as he stood up.

Sylphid followed suit before she wrapped one of his arms in a hug. "It most definitely is a big deal. It nearly killed me to see big sis every time she went to see her mother. It was almost like…she lost a piece of her soul with each visit." Sylphid said, a downcast look crossing her cheerful features.

When Roxas saw the look on her face, he could not help but feel a little bad for the dragoness. She looked like a sad child. He reached over with his other hand and patted her head, causing her to look up at him.

"Don't give me that look. Everything should be fine now." He said before he gave a yawn. "But today has been a very long day. I think I will be going to bed."

"Ah!" Sylphid chirped as she let him go. "I'll come too. I always did like sleeping with you." She said cheerfully as she walked beside him.

Roxas blinked a few times before he shrugged. He was too tired to give it to much thought tonight. He turned to the dragoness, who was happily skipping beside him. "So what should I call you? Sylphid, Or Irukukwu?"

"Hmmm" Sylphid said as she adopted a thinking pose. "I guess Sylphid when I am in dragon form. And Irukukwu when I am in this form. After all Irukukwu is my real name." She said before she grinned at him.

Walking down one of the hallways was a little difficult because Irukukwu was hanging on his arm, beaming happily as they made their way to his room.

Soon, Roxas saw a familiar red-haired girl heading in their direction. She was wearing a bath robe while drying off her hair with a towel.

"Oh, Roxas."

"Hey Kirche." Roxas replied as he walked over to her.

Kirche gave a small grin when she saw the blue-haired girl attached to his arm. "So, I see Tabitha let Sylphid show you this form. I have to say that I was surprised when I finally found out about it."

Roxas blinked a few times. "You knew? When did you find out?"

"Not too long ago. It was after I found out about Tabitha's mother just yesterday. When I offered to help her with the water spirit mission, she showed me just what Sylphid could do." She said before she grinned down at the dragoness. "So, how did he react? Was he as surprised as me?"

Sylphid squealed a bit as she clutched his arm tighter. "He was a bit surprised, but no one could really beat your reaction."

"I guess not." Kirche said as she gave a small laugh. "Well, I think I am going to bed. It has been a long day." She said before she faced a door that lead to a bedroom."

"Um…Kirche." Roxas started.

"Yes~"

"That's my room."

Kirche turned towards him with a knowing grin. "And~"

"Didn't Percerin give you your own room?"

"What? You don't want share a bed with me? I promise you it is big enough. You don't want me to be cold tonight, do you?"

"How…Ugh, never mind." He said before he gently tugged his arm out of Sylphid grasp, causing her to pout a bit. "I am going to take a bath as well…Alone" Roxas said firmly when he saw Irukukwu about to come with him.

Sylphid was about to whine, but Kirche reached out and patted her arm. "Let the man have his space…because he won't have much of it tonight." Kirche said with a seductive smile.

Sylphid stuck out her lower lip before she complied and let Roxas walk towards the bathroom.

It was a few moments later that Roxas found he relaxing in the midst of a massive bath. His mind was overloaded with the sheer amount of information he had obtained and he just wanted to let his brain relax as the soothing water washed over his body.

"A heart, huh?" Roxas said as he closed his eyes and rested his back against the tile of the back, placing his arms along the side of each edge. "It looks like you were right, Axel. We really did have hearts." Roxas opened his eyes as he stared at the celling. "I just wish you were here with me. We could have both grown hearts together."

"Roxas?"

Roxas blinked a few times before he turned to see Tabitha standing there, a towel wrapped around her torso. Immediately, his face flared up a bit before he turned away from her.

"Tabitha. Um…Hey." He fumbled awkwardly. "Is…Is everything alright with your mother."

Tabitha sniffed a bit before she nodded. She casually walked over the other side of the bath before she dipped beneath the debts, a blush dusting her face. "Yes. She was…very tired, but I was able to tell her everything. She is sleeping right now."

"Good." Roxas replied, thankful that Tabitha had kept her towel covering her body as she rested in the bath. "I'm glad I could help."

Tabitha's lower lip trembled a bit more as she looked up at him. "Roxas. I will never be able to thank you enough for what you did."

Roxas shook his head. "You don't need to."

Tabitha sniffed again before she stood and walked over to him. She sat herself down on his left side, her blush taking another shade of red. She hesitated for a few moments before she slowly rested her head against this shoulder.

Roxas felt his heat race a bit before he took a deep breath. He was getting better at this. "So…I saw Sylphid's other form a few moments ago. Her name is Irukukwu?"

Tabitha paused for a moment before she pushed away and looked up at him. She gave a small nod. "Sylphid wanted to show you for a long time."

Roxas laughed lightly. "I know. She told me."

"Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

Tabitha bit her lower lip before she looked up at him, almost not sure how she was going to ask this. "What did you mean? When you said you were growing your heart?"'

Roxas gave a small sigh as he rested his head against the tile of the bath. "It's a very long story. One that I would rather share just once with everyone." He said as he glanced at her. She was staring at him with her deep blue eyes.

"You have a lot of secrets, don't you?"

"I don't mean to have them; they are just things I don't like to talk about. And besides…" He said before he grinned lightly at her. "And I am not the only one who has secrets."

For the first time, Roxas thought he saw a fleeting smile cross her face before she covered it up with her emotionless mask.

"I will tell you all eventually, but like I said at the lake. Give me time to find a way to put it into words." Roxas said as he leaned his head back against the tile again.

Tabitha nodded before she rested her head against his shoulder.

Little did Roxas and Tabitha know, there were a few figures that were watching the scene from the doorway.

"I swear, that is probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen." Kirche whispered, nearly gushing.

"I want to join them!" Sylphid whined a bit, nearly darting out into the bathroom.

Kirche shook her head as she held her back. "Give them their moment. Tabitha deserves it after all she has been through."

Sylphid pouted a bit more before she complied, glancing back at the two as they sat in the bath. "Way to go, big sis." She whispered.

* * *

It was early the next morning that Roxas found himself eating breakfast in the dining room. Percerin had woken up early and prepared a meal for them. Sylphid had gone back to her dragon form and was outside, while Kirche was eating alongside him.

Last night, Roxas and Tabitha parted ways. She went to her mother's room to sleep with her while Roxas went back to his room.

Needless to say, it was a very strange night's sleep for the nobody. He woke up that morning to find himself lying on his back with Sylphid on his left side, grasping his arm in a vice grip. On his right was Kirche. She was resting her head on his shoulder with one arm resting lightly on his chest.

Roxas felt his heart race wildly before he maneuvered away from both of the girls and make his way to the dining hall.

"Is everything suitable for you sir?" Percerin asked as he poured a cup of Tea for Roxas.

Roxas swallowed a mouth of eggs before he nodded. "Everything tastes great."

"Thank you sir." Percerin said. He was about to go through the doors to the kitchen, but stopped dead when he turned around. His eyes widened greatly as he accidently dropped the kettle of tea. The kettle crashed to the ground, spilling the tea everywhere, but Percerin paid that no mind because his eyes were glued on the two figures that where standing in the doorway.

Tabitha was standing there in her usual attire; however, she was helping to support another woman. One that he thought he would never see sane again.

"Milady Alexandra." Percerin whispered as he continued to stare at Tabitha's mother.

Alexandra smiled kindly at the old butler. "Percerin dear. Thank you for taking good care of Tabitha. I am sorry for worrying you."

"But…How? How is this possible? What…How…" Percerin stuttered, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Alexandra smiled gently before she slowly walked forward, slightly leaning on her daughter for support because her body was still a bit frail. Soon she stood in front of the old butler before she placed a hand on his shoulder. "All will be explained shortly Percerin. For now, please bring my daughter and I something to eat. I am feeling a bit…Famished." She finished.

Percerin blinked a few times before he reached over and gently grasped Alexandra's palm. "Of-Of course, Milady." He said shakily, tears building up in his eyes as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He then turned and departed into the kitchen, leaving Tabitha, Kirche, Alexandra, and Roxas alone in the dining room.

Soon, Tabitha led her mother over to one of the chairs across from Roxas and Kirche before helping her sit down. She then pulled a chair out for herself.

"Thank you Charlotte dear." She said before she gave a relaxed sigh. She then looked over at Roxas and Kirche, who were staring at the both of them, waiting for them to get settled.

Alexandra then looked over at Roxas, staring into his crystal blue eyes. Just from one look, there was a depth to them, one that she had rarely seen in someone as young as him. He looked as if he had seen the darker side of the world, which was something she could sympathize with.

"So, you are the one that healed me?" she asked, directing her question at Roxas.

"Well…" Roxas started as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "It was the power of the elixir I had on me."

Alexandra laughed lightly into the palm of her hand. "Yes. My daughter already informed me of how I was healed, but you supplied such a valuable potion without a second thought. Tell me, why did you do it? An elixir with such value would have been worth a fortune. There would have been countless nobles that would have paid a handsome fee for it. So why did you give it to my daughter."

"Because…she needed it." Roxas said simply. "I really don't care about money. Tabitha needed help so…I helped her."

A gentle smile crossed over Alexandra's face as she heard his words. It seemed that everything Charlotte had told her was true about this boy. He really didn't care about riches, nobility, or status. "I am glad to hear such wonderful things from someone as young as you. Please continue to be her friend. She will definitely need them for what is ahead in the future."

"You mean with her uncle?"

Alexandra nodded. "I don't have a doubt in my mind that this was all his doing. He wanted the throne so badly that he killed his own brother to secure it. However, that was not even enough for him. He tried to take my daughter away as well, just to leave be even more broken." She said as her lower lip trembled a bit. "Losing my daughter after I lost my husband would have killed me…But that might have been just what Joseph wanted."

Roxas nodded in understanding. "So, what are we going to do now?"

Alexandra rested her hands in her lap. "All of you will go back to the academy and pretend as if nothing ever happened here." She stated firmly.

"Mother! What are you saying?" Tabitha said as she turned her attention to her mother.

Alexandra gave her daughter a comforting smile. "It would be best if Joseph never found out that I regained my sanity. He still feels like he is in control of the country, with me out of the way. If he found out I have been cured, he will most likely come back and finish what he started. I need you to go back to the academy and continue your schooling."

"But-But what will you do?"

A firm look crossed her features. "I have a few letters I need to write. One of them, directly to Marianne."

"Marianne? You mean the current queen of Tristan? Princess Henrietta's mother?" Kirche asked her eyes a bit wider.

Alexandra nodded. "She was one of my closest friends back when we were attending the academy. I asked her to look after my daughter should anything happen to me. And from the looks of it, she has done just that."

"Wow." Kirche said as she leaned back in her seat.

Tabitha scrunched her eyebrows a bit. "Mother, I have just gotten you back after all these years. I-I don't want to leave yet."

Alexandra looked over at her daughter before she gently rested a hand on hers. "I know, but you have to continue to be strong. Joseph cannot find out about this before we make a decent plan of action. We need to reveal what he has done and back it up with evidence." She said before she smiled at her daughter. "I am so proud of what you have accomplished Charlotte. I know your father would be proud as well."

Tabitha sniffed once before she grasped her mother's hand in her own. Alexandra looked over to Roxas again. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for our family. If there is anything you need, anything at all, just comes to us."

Roxas nodded, but he truly could not think of anything. He already had what he wanted.

"And, I have no right to ask this from you…But please…" Alexandra said as she lowered her head slightly, causing both Tabitha and Kirche to widen their eyes. "Please look after my daughter."

Roxas felt a little uncomfortable with everyone looking at him, so he just nodded. "I will protect her. She is my friend and I will not let anything happen to my friends."

Alexandra raised her head before she gave him a gentle smile. "Thank you."

* * *

It was later on in the day that they were standing in front of the door to the mansion. Tabitha was saying her goodbyes to her mother and Percerin. Percerin was still having a hard time understanding what just happened.

When she was done, they turned to leave, but a hand stopped Roxas in his tracks. He turned to see Alexandra standing there with a smile on her face, her hand gently resting on his shoulder. "I mean it Roxas. If you need anything, just let me know."

Roxas frowned a bit, still not sure what he would want. He finally shrugged. "I already have what I want."

"Oh, and what is that?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"My friends."

Alexandra eyebrows rose into her hairline. Who knew that two words could mean so much? She finally smiled gently before she cupped his chin with one of her hands. She then brought her lips to his forehead. It only lasted a second before she pulled away, nearly laughing at the confused look on Roxas's face.

"It was just a sigh of trust. There are not many people I would trust with the safety of my daughter, but you just look like one that can handle it."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "How can you tell?"

"By the look in your eyes."

* * *

It was a full day later that Roxas, Kirche, and Tabitha found themselves back at the academy. Sylphid was such a champ for flying them all the way, and she was very tired by the end of it. When they landed, she was already laying on the ground, ready to fall asleep.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I could use a long, relaxing bath right now. What do you say Tabitha?" Asked Kirche.

Tabitha gave a small nod before she looked over at Roxas. She hesitated for a few moments before she walked up to him before slowly wrapping her arms around his torso, resting her head against his chest. "Roxas, you have no idea how much this means to me. I can never thank you enough." She said as she squeezed a bit tighter.

Slowly, Roxas raised his arms and hugged her back. "You welcome. If you ever need me for something, just know I will always help you. After all, that's what friends are for, right?"

Tabitha just nodded against his chest before she pulled away.

Kirche just watched with a tiny smile on her face before she grabbed Tabitha's arm. "Tabitha~ hurry up. I really want to take a bath." She wined playfully. "By the way, what should we call you from now on? Tabitha, or Charlotte?"

"Tabitha." She said simply before she was dragged away by Kirche.

"No~ Tabitha, don't start with the one word answers again. We were just getting full sentences out of you~."

"Special circumstances."

Roxas chuckled as he watched Kirche whine a bit more before they both disappeared into the background. He was tired as well after the extensive trip. It was much more eventful than he ever though it would be and he was very tired.

"I think I need to relax as well." He said as he made his way back to Louise's room. It took only a few moments before he was standing in front of her door. He could only pray that the antidote worked because the last thing he needed was a hormone driven Louise chasing him down the hallways.

He took a deep breath before he opened to the door. Right when he walked in, he saw Louise sitting on a chair, brushing her hair in the mirror. She turned to see who had entered her room, causing their eyes to meet. They stared at each other before Louise's face turned several shades of red. Instantly, she stood up and grabbed the chair she was sitting on before she hurled it at the nobody.

Roxas's eyes widened a bit as he rolled to the side, causing the chair crashed into the wall behind him, nearly breaking into pieces. He looked up to see Louise standing there, a horrified expression on her face.

"I…I…I CANT BELIEVE I SAID ALL THOSE THINGS TO YOU!" she screeched before her face turned several different shades of red. "I CANT BELIEVE I DID THOSE THINGS. MY-MY REPUTATON IS RUINED."

Roxas registered what she said before he almost cried in happiness. She was back to normal. She was not chasing him down the halls with that horrifying look in her eyes.

However, since she was back to normal and she was in a VERY bad mood, that only meant one thing.

He had to run.

He nearly laughed as he dodged a thrown hairbrush before he threw open the door and quickly raced down the stairs, Louise hot on his heels. However, this time she didn't have her ridiculous hormonal speed, so he was quickly getting away from her. He exited the building before he ran across the academy grounds. Soon, he found what he was looking for.

"Sylphid!" he yelled casing the blue dragon to raise her head. She let out a joyful warbled upon seeing him. "Hiding maneuver alpha!" Sylphid nodded her large head before she immediately curled into a ball, extending her wing up. Roxas jumped into the center as Sylphid lowered her wing over him, complete hiding him from view.

"WHERE ARE YOU? YOU DOG!" He heard Louise shout as she ran right past them.

Roxas waited a few seconds, listening as Louise's footsteps disappeared. He gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks Sylphid."

Sylphid purred before she curled tighter around him.

"Yeah…Even though she is back to normal, I don't think I want to sleep in her room tonight. Can I crash out here with you?"

Sylphid grunted softly, signifying her answer. Hopefully, Louise would cool off by morning. Still, this was much better than how she was. At lease she couldn't find him anymore.

"Roxas."

Roxas gasped, thinking Louise found him. However, he immediately threw that idea out the window because that was not Louise's voice. It was familiar, but he had not heard that voice in a while…

Wait a minute.

"Henrietta?"

There was no reply for a few seconds before Roxas heard a small giggle. "I saw you slip away from Louise. It's a nice hiding spot, but I have to talk to you and her about something." Henrietta said.

Roxas sighed a bit. It was a bummer, because he was just getting comfortable. But by the sound of her voice, Henrietta needed his help with something. Gently, he nudged Sylphid in the side.

"You heard her Sylphid. You got to let me out." Sylphid gave a sad warble in protest before Roxas nudged her again. Finally, she retracted her wing, allowing Roxas to climb out.

He looked up to see that Henrietta was wearing the same hooded cloak she wore when they first met. "Looks like you have been sneaking around again."

Henrietta laughed softly. "When you're a princess that is usually the only way to get around. Agnes transported me here, but it would have been suspicious if I was walking around with a guard."

"I can understand that. So what do you need?"

"I need to talk to both you and Louise."

Roxas gave a small sigh. "Well…Finding Louise should be easy. Just follow the screams." He said, causing Henrietta to giggle one again. "I will find Louise. Please wait in her room until I get back."

* * *

 **Authors Note: Awe yeah. Roxas was not able to use the power of his Keyblade to rid the effects of the potion because Curaga is a physical healing spell. Roxas is a nobody that can use light magic to its highest caliber, but curaga can't undo negative potion effects. He had to make a bit of a sacrifice for one of his friends by giving up one of his precious elixirs. Now he only has a few left.**

 **About the pairings. Some people were like "Harem…YUSSS." And some were like "NUUU Harem!"**

 **There are a few thoughts I would like to lay down on the table about harems. For one, very few people can actually do them justice. A lot of the time, there is no actual development between the MC and each girl in the harem. It's just like "You are hot…I Wove you!" In this story, I am going to try and have as much development as possible between Roxas and each girl if I do have a harem. It's still up in the air about the harem idea though.**

 **Anyway, I will ask your opinions again about pairing much later, when more development has happened. I will ask again…probably after the Albania war arc of the second season of the anime. Yes I have already planned that far ahead, so no worries.**

 **Another note by the way. I got a beta. He had been working really hard to find the errors I had in the chapters I have already posted, so not quite this one yet. He is known as The Lord Of Pages and I am grateful for what he has done so far. If you want to check out the changes, I have updated chapters 1 and 2. Big shout out to him for all his hard work.**

 **Finally, I seriously searched the internet for Tabitha's mother's name, but could not find it for the life of me…So I named her Alexandra. Sounds royal enough. If she does have a name, someone please tell me in a review so I can edit the chapter.**

 **But anyway, thanks for reading and look forward to the next chapter.**

 **Until then!**


	12. Chapter 12: Chance

**Authors Note: Sup Everyone. Sooo, I have some bad news. School is starting again and that means I will have less time to update. This semester will be a bust as well, so chapters will take longer to update than usual. So sorry about that. You will have to have a bit of patience with me when it comes to updating. But I have to say, I have written 100k+ words in about 3 months. That is not bad if I don't say so myself. During the summer, I have been working full-time, but still found time to write and update this story. It has been a lot of fun so far, and I hope I can continue this until it is done.**

 **Anyway, not much else to say. Please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: Until my beta gets to this chapter, there will be a few spelling/grammar errors…So sorry about that.**

 **Update: Sheesh. Because of the sheer amount of complaining I got about my Auto-correct errors, I went back and fixed some of them. Seriously. I already told you that there would be errors, but that didn't stop a lot of you from reviewing about the ones you found. Anyway, i changed Albania to Albion. Sorry about that...and i changed Wards to Wardes.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 12

It really didn't take that much time for Roxas to locate Louise. He found her wandering aimlessly through the academy ground, yelling his name and threatening him with all form of punishment imaginable if he did not come out. The entire walk back to her room consisted of her yelling, threatening, and attempts at some physical punishment from her whip, but Roxas was having none of that.

"Louise, it was entirely your fault that you drank the love potion." Roxas snapped as sidestepped another lash from the whip.

"You made me do it! If you had just cleaned my laundry and my room, I wouldn't have gone out looking for you! And I would have never drunk the potion." She exclaimed as she whirled her whip again.

Roxas simply caught her wrist. "We don't have time for this Louise. There is someone waiting for you in your room."

Louise tugged her wrist free before she folded her arms, being content with a glare instead. "If it's that Zerbst cow, I am really not in the mood to hear her teasing." She said before she shoved past Roxas and opened the door to her room.

Immediately, she saw a person with their back facing her, staring out the window. Soon, the person slowly turned to face Louise and Roxas as they entered the room. Louise immediately recognized who it was.

"Louise. It's good to see you." Henrietta said as a smile crossed her features.

"P-Princess Henrietta!" Louise gasped before she knelt on the ground in front of her. "What are you doing here? Is something the matter?"

Henrietta gave a gentle smile as she walked over to Louise. She reached down and lifted her from her kneeling position before looking Louise in the eyes. "Please Louise, stand up. I have some very important information I need to share with you." She said before she looked over at Roxas. "You need to hear this as well, we will be in need of your strength."

Roxas nodded as he crossed his arms.

Henrietta looked between the two before she gave a bit of a sigh. "First of all, I would like to thank you both for all you both have done so far, defeating Fouquet, exposing both Turenne and Count Mott…and your more recent endeavor" She said, aiming that more at Roxas than Louise.

Louise raised an eyebrow in confusion, but Roxas understood what she meant.

"Your mother got Alexandra's letter already?"

Henrietta nodded. "I was just about to leave when my mother got the news. She sends her undying gratitude for what you did for her dear friend."

Roxas nodded, but Louise was deeply confused. "What are you two talking about?" She demanded.

"Worry not Louise, for we have more important matters to discuss." Henrietta said as she elegantly sat down on Louise's bed. Her countenance fell a little before she looked up at them. "It's unfortunate, but I have accepted a marriage proposal from Germania."

Louise gave a startled gasp. "Princess, why would you do that? Why are you margining into a nation of savages?"

"Louise, our country is on the brink of war with Albion. The only thing that is stopping them from marching right into our front doors is the condition of their government. Most of the nation want's to wage war against us, but those in support of Prince Whales are against it. However, it looks as if the rebellion is growing in strength, forcing Whales into hiding."

Louise's eyebrows scrunched a bit as she listened. "It's gotten that bad huh?"

Henrietta nodded. "At this rate, Whales will be dethroned and the kingdom of Albion will fall into the hands of the rebellion. If that happens, the first thing they will do is wage war against us. We need to be prepared if that were to happen. That is why I must accept the marriage proposal. If I marry into Germania, then we will have a steady ally to aid us in the war." She said, a new determination building up in her eyes. "I am the princess of this country. I will gladly sacrifice myself in order to keep my people safe."

Roxas frowned a bit when he heard that. He didn't really understand the importance of marriage, but is sounded important by the way Henrietta was talking about it.

However…

The depressed expression on her face as she talked about it only served to confuse him. Why was she depressed about it? He didn't voice his confusion though because she was about to say something else.

"There is one problem though. A…A mistake I made that may have put our entire alliance with Germania in jeopardy. This is why I need you and your familiar's help. You two are the only ones I can really trust with this mission."

Louise's eyes widened a bit as she heard the Princess say that. "Anything Princess! What do you need from us?"

Henrietta stood from the bed and gazed out the window. "There is something I need you to retrieve for me. A letter I wrote to Prince Whales of Albion. He is the last descendant of the royal family and because of that, once he is gone, there will be no one left to take the throne. That is why he is currently in hiding." She said as she turned to her friend. "It is very difficult to ask this of my best friend, but you two are the only ones I can rely on for this situation."

Louise immediately dropped to a knee in front of the princess. "It is an honor to serve you Henrietta. Please leave it to us."

Henrietta smiled a bit before she beckoned her to stand. "Thank you Louise." She said before she pulled off her ring and gave it to her. "This is the water ruby. Prince Whales will know that I sent you if you show it to him. Tomorrow you will meet someone else who will be joining you on your mission. He is also someone I trust deeply. He knows the landscape of Albion better than anyone, so he will be your guide."

"I understand princess." Louise said, almost glowing in happiness that the princess trusted her so much.

In the midst of their conversation, no one seemed to notice that Louise's door was slightly cracked open. It wasn't until the conversation was finished the door suddenly burst open. Everyone turned toWardes the door to see a familiar blond pretty boy, leaning against the frame of the doorway as he elegantly sniffed his rose.

Roxas sweat dropped a bit as he instantly recognized the boy. "Guiche, what are you doing?"

Guiche slowly lowered is rose as he gazed upon the residents of the room. "I saw that you had returned Roxas. I was surprised you didn't see me when you rushed past me with Louise hot on your heels." He said before he pushed off the wall. "I wanted to tell you that the antidote was a success, but then I spotted you talking with a suspicious robed figure. Being the grand friend I am, I wanted to make sure that you were not in trouble, so I followed you and Louise back to your room and heard the entire conversation." He said as he nearly danced into the room. He then looked at the princess before kneeling down, dramatically extending his arms as he did so. "Princess Henrietta, I would be honored if you would let me join in this quest. For I, Guiche the bronze, will aid you."

Henrietta blinked a few times at the sudden turn of events. She then looked over at Roxas and Louise. "What do you think? Is he trustworthy?"

Louise was about to reject the proposal, seeing that this was her mission and a chance to prove herself, but Roxas cut her off.

"Henrietta, he is trustworthy." He said simply, causing everyone in the current vicinity to look at him.

"Oh? And why do you say that?" Asked Henrietta.

Roxas looked over at Guiche, who was still kneeling on the ground. He was also staring at him, almost not believing what Roxas had said either. "He was a major help in our more…recent activity." He said, not wanting to have to explain to the princess the whole story with the love potion.

"Recent activity?" Henrietta asked with an eyebrow raised.

Louise immediately panicked a bit, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of the princess. "It's nothing! Just a little problem we had. Nothing to worry about." Louise said as her face flushed a few shades of red.

Henrietta looked between the three of them a few times before a soft smile crossed her features. "Well then, if Roxas and Louise trust you, then I have no reason to do otherwise. We will be honored to have you on this mission."

Guiche smiled before he stood on his feet and raised his rose over his head. "You will not be disappointed Princess."

* * *

Master Kida went flying through the air before he landed in a heap on the ground, the Forgotten Light falling from his grasp before it vanished if a flash of light. Gingerly, he sat up at looked at his massive foe. He had never seen a being quite like this one before.

Its body was completely black, almost as if the darkness had swallowed it whole. And it was huge, completely dwarfing the Keyblade master in the process. It had beady yellow eyes and on its chest was a massive, heart-shaped hole.

Kida's eyes widened a bit when the creature clenched its fist. A massive surge of darkness began to form in its palm before the creature slammed it into the ground. Kida's eyes widened a bit more as smaller creatures of the darkness began to form out of the ground. These creatures where much smaller, but still had the ominous yellow eyes. Immediately, they looked over at Kida before they started to crawl over to his direction.

Kida grit his teeth before he forced himself to his feet. A bit of blood dribbled down his lip as he summoned the Forgotten Light to his hand.

One of the smaller creatures leaped at him, causing Kida to roll out of the way. "Triple Firga" Kida shouted, releasing three balls of flames from his Keyblade. Each spell hit the creatures, causing them to dissolve into wisps of darkness. However, one of fire ball missed, allowing the creature to leap at Kida.

Kida fell back down before he clenched his teeth, waiting for impact.

SLASH.

Kida waited and waited, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes a sliver before they shot open. Standing in front of him, with Keyblade fully extended, was Xehanort. The remains of the dark creature evaporated into wisps of darkness.

"You're getting slow, old man." Xehanort said as he turned and offered his hand to his master.

"Xehanort, how did you find me?" Kida asked as he grasped Xehanort's hand within his own.

Xehanort chuckled a bit. "You already know that I am more attune to darkness." He said as he looked at the massive creature in front of him. "And this thing is giving off a powerful odor of darkness." He said as he pulled Kida to his feet.

Kida stared at his student for the longest time before his gaze snapped up.

"Watch out!" Kida shouted as he saw the creature lift its massive arm. Xehanort acted quickly, grabbing the older Keyblade master before he jumped out of the way. The creature's fist smashed into the ground before it raised its other one. It began to charge the dark energy again.

Kida clenched his teeth before he looked over to his student. Xehanort was much calmer than he should have been, but Kida had other things to worry about.

"Xehanort, I need you to stall that thing for as long as you can." Kida said as he pushed off his student.

Xehanort had a ghost of a smile on his face before he looked over at his master. "You have a plan."

Kida nodded before he extended the forgotten light. "I do, but I need time. Stay focused! They are coming."

Xehanort nodded as he saw the creature slam its darkness encased fist into the ground, calling forth more of the smaller creatures. Xehanort gave a more menacing grin before he dashed at the creatures.

Kida took a deep breath before he closed his eyes, concentrating hard on what he was about to do. Immediately, he snapped his eyes open before he threw The Forgotten Light into the air. In a flash of darkness, a vehicle burst forth from where the Keyblade was. It hovered in front of the Master. Kida jumped onto the vehicle before he rose into the air slightly. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

Meanwhile, Xehanort was slashing through the dark creatures faster than the giant could summon them. He dodged an oncoming fist before he slashed at the appendage. It did very little to effect the creature though. He looked back at his master.

"What's taking you?"

Kida clenched his teeth. "There is no magic to be absorbed around here. I have to sacrifice my own magic to make this work." He shouted back. "Just a bit longer!"

"Tsk" Xehanort said as he dodged another small creature before slashing it in two. "Your Keyblade glider has a powerful ability, but it's not that practical if it takes this long charge. Right, Old man?"

"Not another word Xehanort." Kida growled as he pumped more magic into the machine. His magic began to gather into the bottom of the glider. The condensed sphere of magic began to arc with power.

Suddenly, the giant being of darkness seemed to sense the energy coming from the glider. It completely ignored Xehanort before it turned toward Kida. Xehanort was about to follow, but was kept behind be a number of smaller creatures. He viciously slashed through most of them before he dashed after the giant being.

The giant extended his hand and formed it into a fist, ready to launch it at Kida. Just as it took its swing, Kida's eyes opened. He slammed his fist into the main button on his glider. Immediately, the condensed energy below the glider released itself, sending a massive laser barreling straight at the giant. The beam hit the creature in the face, completely barreling a hole straight through.

Finally, the light died down and what was left of the large creature with the whole through its head. Slowly, the giant fell to its knees before it began to plummet to the ground. Wisps of darkness were coming off of its body as it slowly collapsed. Before it hit the ground, it completely vanished into particles of darkness.

Kida was breathing deeply as he surveyed the landscape. The smaller creatures were quickly finished off by Xehanort, which caused Kida to sigh in relief. The glider suddenly vanished in a flash of darkness, leaving Kida to crash to the ground, completely exhausted.

Xehanort had just finished off the last creature before he turned to see his master, who laying there on the ground. He shook his head before he walked over to him. "You still alive down there, old man?"

"Screw you Xehanort." Kida said as he tried to push himself up, only to fall down again.

Xehanort reached down picked up one of Kida's arms before slinging it over his shoulder. "You're getting to old for this."

Kida didn't answer as he looked over at his student. "It's getting worse Xehanort. We have been getting small creatures of darkness for a while, but I have never seen one like that before."

Xehanort nodded as he began to walk away with his master.

Kida looked back to the ground before he looked at his student again. "Xehanort, you fought well and I am grateful for it. I believe it is time that I award you the title of Keyblade master now. You have earned it."

Xehanort looked over at his master before he nodded. "Thank you Master Kida."

Kida stared at Xehanort for a while. He expected more of a reaction out of the youth, but he was too tired to think about it right now. He could already feel the toll of using his gliders special mega-laser ability. He was slipping out of consciousness.

However

Before he closed his eyes, he saw a small, but very menacing grin on Xehanort's face.

* * *

Roxas gasped slightly as his eyes opened. He looked around, only to find himself still leaning against the wall in Louise's room. Louise was sleeping soundly in her bed without a care in the world.

Roxas looked down at his left hand. In his clenched fist was the Forgotten Light. It vanished a few seconds later. He raised an eyebrow as he stared at his now empty hand. Every time he had one of these dreams, he would wake up with the Forgotten Light in his hand.

Why?

These dreams were so vivid, it seemed like they were memories. But they were obviously not his memories, so where did they come from?

Roxas frowned a bit as he extended his hand. Immediately, The Forgotten Light appeared. He stared at the mysterious Keyblade for the longest time. The dreams started when he first found this weapon. Did that mean something?

And also, that glider that Kida used to defeated that dark side heartless…It looked a lot like the one Sora and Riku used to defeat Xemnas. The only difference was that Kida's glider was dark black and lacked the side platform.

Roxas stared at the Keyblade for the longest time, wondering if these dreams were more than just dreams. Osmond already informed him that this Keyblade came from Xehanort's master, but if that were true, then that would work in correspondence with his dreams. If his dreams were real, then did that mean this Keyblade could turn into the glider he saw?

And Xehanort…In this dream, he was a bit older than in the previous dream.

Roxas gave a sigh as he let the Keyblade vanish. He rested his head against the wall as he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. He needed his rest for the mission tomorrow.

* * *

Roxas gave a bit of a yawn as he stood outside the academy with Guiche and Louise. It was a misty morning outside as they all waiting for their guide to show up. Nothing really exciting happened until Guiche's familiar burst from the ground and basically tackled Louise, cooing in delight as he obsessed over the water ruby.

"Roxas! HELP ME!" she exclaimed as she tried to push the mole off her.

Roxas chuckled a bit as he moved over to help, but he was apparently beaten to the punch when a gust of wind sent the mole flying off of the petite girl. The poor creature landed in a heap on the ground a few feet away.

"Verdandi!" Guiche exclaimed as he dramatically pranced his way over to the mole. "Who would do such a horrendous thing to you?"

"I guess that would be me."

Everyone looked up into the sky to see a griffin descending down to the ground. Riding on the creatures back was a man with long grey hair, a goatee, and a large hat. Right when the griffin landed, the man elegantly leaped off before looking over at Guiche.

"You will have to forgive me. I feared that something was attacking my precious fiancé." He said as he gave a small bow. The then turned to Louise before walking up to her.

"Sir Wardes?" Louise squeaked as she quickly jumped to her feet and dusted her blouse off, a large blush crossing her face.

Roxas raised an eyebrow in confusion as he looked between the man and Louise a few times. How did Louise know this man?

"My sweet Louise." Wardes said as he moved past Roxas and stood in front of the girl. He reached down and grasped her hand before gently kissing it. "It is good to see you in such good health, though I do admit, this was a strange way to be reunited after all these years."

Louise blushed in embarrassment as she shyly looked up into the man's eyes. "It's has been a long time, Sir Wardes. It's nice to see you again."

"And it is good to see you as well, my Fiancé." Wardes chuckled as he picked her up off the ground, causing her to squeak in embarrassment. "You are as light as I remembered." He soon carried her to his griffin before sitting down. He then turned to Roxas and Guiche. "I don't believe we have been introduced. I am Sir Wardes. I was requested by the queen to be your guide for the duration of this mission."

"Roxas." Roxas said simply, letting his guard relax now that he knew who this man was.

Guiche however was staring at the man with sparkling eyes. "It is you Sir Wardes!" he said as he rushed up to the man. "You are my inspiration! My idol! I am truly honored to be on this mission with you."

Sir Wardes sweat dropped a bit before he raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "I am flattered, but who might you be?"

"Oh!" Guiche said before he cleared his throat. He waved his rose across his face before he adopted a pose. "I am the feared son of General Granmont, the honorable mage of the earth element, the wooer of the hearts of many women, the fantastic Guiche the Bronze!" he finished as he extended his flower with his eyes closed, waiting for an applause of some form.

However, he heard nothing as he continued to wait. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see that Sir Wardes was riding away on his griffin with Roxas right behind on a horse, nobody paying the slightest attention to him.

"Hey!" Guiche cried, anime tears falling down his face. He hopped on his horse and raced after them. "Wait for me!"

* * *

During the trip, Roxas had to admit. He was amazed by the way Louise was acting. When this guy was around, she was almost like a complete different person. She was shy, quiet, and spoke in a well-mannered way. What in the world happened to her? He remembered that she would act similarly when Henrietta was around, but this was taking it to a whole new level.

He looked over at Guiche, was rambling on about something as he rode beside him, but Roxas wasn't really listening to what he was saying. "Hey Guiche?"

Guiche paused in the middle of his dramatic tale before he looked over at Roxas. "What is it Roxas?"

"What is a Fiancé?"

Guiche almost fell off of his horse. He knew that Roxas would ask some strange questions now and again, but this was ridiculous. "You don't know?" he asked, causing Roxas to nod his head. "What kind of rock have you been living under your whole life. A person's fiancé is person that they will get married to."

"Ok…Why do people get married?"

Guiche was giving Roxas the strangest look he could muster. "How do you not know these thing Roxas?"

"Never had the chance to learn. Is it supposed to be important?"

"Is it important…" Guiche said as he massaged his temples. He could not believe he was having his kind of conversation with Roxas. "What kind of question is that? It is one of the most important choices you will ever make in your life."

Roxas cocked his head curiously. "Why is it so important?"

Guiche had no idea why he needed to explain this to him. But he complied anyway. There must have been a reason he was asking. "I cannot believe I am explaining this to you. Marriage is the bond between two people that love each other dearly. If they decide they want to live together for the rest of their lives, they enter into the matrimony of marriage."

Roxas raised his eyebrow, still a bit confused. "So, marriage is supposed to be between people that love each other?" he asked, causing Guiche to nod his head. "If that's true, then why is Henrietta marrying someone she doesn't even know?"

Guiche blinked a few times, actually a bit stumped by the question. "Well, sometimes people marry for different reasons. If it is a person like Henrietta, a marriage can bond two countries together as allies. Sometimes marriage is arraigned by the parents. It all depends really, but it basically means that you are legally and lawfully bound to that person for the rest of your life."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "But what if you marry someone you don't even like? How are you supposed to deal with it?"

Guiche gave a sigh. Roxas did have a point. He didn't even want to think about the possibility that he would have to marry someone he didn't love, but that was just what happened sometimes. "It is unfortunate, but that sometimes happens. Though, most of the time, arranged marriages often work because the respected parties just learn to love each other in the end."

"Hmmm." Roxas said as he looked back at Louise and Wardes. "I guess I understand."

"Oh, how I can't wait to get married though!" Guiche said as he clasped his hands together.

Roxas looked over at his, his eyebrow raised again. "Why?"

"Despite all the technicalities of marriage, being with the person you love for the rest of your life, having them by your side forever. It's something to look forward to, no?"

Roxas thought about it. It did sound nice they way he put it, but it seemed really complicated.

* * *

The rest of the trip went on without any problems until they reached the airship ports where they would travel to Albion by the flying ships. When they arrived, Roxas could not help but be impressed. These massive ships where hovering in the air by some form of magic. Though it didn't compare to the floating castle in the world that never was, it was still impressive.

It didn't take long for Sir Wardes to lead them to a small inn where they would wait until the airships would leave for Albion. Currently, Guiche, Roxas, Wardes, and Louise were all sitting at a table in the inn's restaurant, eating a meal. The food was decent enough, but it didn't really compare to the masterpiece that Marteau would make each day.

After everyone was filled and watered, Wardes glanced across the table at Roxas, who was sipping on a glass of water.

"I find it interesting that you managed to summon a human to be your familiar, Louise." He said as he gently smiled at the girl.

Louise had a blush of embarrassment on her face as she looked away from the handsome man. "It is the shame of my career as a mage."

Roxas scoffed quietly before he rolled his eyes, having heard that same line a few times already. He ignored them as he leaned back in his chair and looked around the inn.

"I have heard a lot about you Familiar." Wardes said, catching Roxas's attention. "I heard that you have quite a winning streak against nobles, am I right?"

Roxas looked the man in the eyes before he leaned forward a bit. "I have fought a few nobles that threatened people I care about."

"But it still is impressive. A commoner like you has managed to beat a number of highly recognized nobles." He said as he turned to Guiche. "You beat Guiche the bronze here, but you also defeated Count Mott and his entire estate, Fouquet the crumbling dirt, and your most recent venture, Turenne."

Roxas gave a small growl as Wardes labeled off all those people. "Yeah, I beat them. And?"

"Roxas! Don't talk to Sir Wardes like that!" Louise hissed.

"It's quite alright Louise. In fact…" he said as his eyes narrowed a bit. "I would like to test Roxas's skill for myself. Would you be opposed to a duel, Roxas?"

Roxas looked at him curiously, but he could see no harm in it. "I don't see why not."

"Sir Wardes! There is no need to dual my familiar. He is not worthy of such honor." She said before she turned to Roxas. "Roxas, as your master, I forbid you from dueling Sir Wardes."

"Louise." Wardes said gently, but firmly. "I told you its fine. I just want to see if your familiar is strong enough to protect you."

"Strong enough, huh?" Roxas said with a small smile. He lifted the glass of water before he took a long drink.

* * *

It was early in the morning of the next day that Roxas and Wardes were standing in the middle of an abandoned courtyard. Among them was Guiche and Louise, the latter was already yelling at Roxas again.

"Roxas! I command you to stop!"

"Louise, Shut up! I wasn't the one that requested this duel." Roxas responded as the oblivion flashed into existence. He crouched down in his signature one-Keyblade stance.

Louise turned red from anger. "You will not talk to me like that!" She screeched as he glanced over at Wardes. He was looking at the both of them curiously.

"You seem to have little control over your familiar Louise." Wardes commented as he drew his fencing staff. He then glanced at Roxas's weapon. "So it is true. You really have the power to summon weapons.

"And you know about it…How?" Roxas asked as he eyed Wardes's staff cautiously.

Wardes flipped off his cape before getting into his stance. His staff was more of a fencing sword with a blunted tip. "I heard from a few people that you use a strange key-like weapon. Wasn't sure if I believed it, but now that I see it in front of me, it's hard to refute." He said before he narrowed his eyes a bit. "But enough talk. Shall we start the Dual?"

"Yeah."

Immediately, Roxas shot from his spot, using light dash's speed to catch Wardes off guard. It seemed to work because Wardes was temporarily surprised at the high speed before he quickly jumped to the side to dodge a swipe from Roxas's Keyblade.

Roxas didn't stop there though. He swung his Keyblade at Wardes a second time. Wardes attempted to block it with his sword, but the blow was so heavy that he had to brace with his entire body to prevent himself from being pushed back. Roxas didn't give him the chance to compose himself though. He quickly whirled around and began his onslaught of attacks, each with a considerable amount of power behind.

Wardes grunted as he tried to deflect the blows, but there was so much power behind them that all he could do was slightly change the direction of the attack before it landed. However, that proved to be of little help because Roxas was quick to attack again, never giving Wardes any time to counter. This was not what he was expecting from the young man. The sheer power of Roxas's strikes was pushing him back and he couldn't do much about it.

Roxas pushed Wardes away before he leaped into the air to bring his Keyblade down on the man. Wardes immediately raised his weapon to deflect it, steadying his whole body for the heavy blow. However, attacking from the top was not Roxas's goal. In the process of defending himself, Wardes left his entire midsection exposed.

Taking advantage of that, Roxas completely ignored Wardes staff before he landed on the ground, spun around, and landed a solid hit right on Wardes's ribs.

"GAUH!" Wardes exclaimed as he was hurled through the air. He landed on his back before he rolled a few times. He was gasping for breath, but luckily his weapon was still in his hands. Roxas didn't give him any time to recover before he got in his usual stance and prepared to charge again.

Wardes took a few deep breaths as he gingerly touched his ribs. He was not expecting this kind of brute strength from someone so young. There was no way that he would be able to beat him in physical combat. So he would have to use a different approach.

"I have to admit, you are better than I expected you to be. But you are still no match for a square class mage." He said before he pointed his weapon at Roxas and chanted a spell.

Instantly, a massive gust of wind erupted from the point of the sword before it was sent spiraling at Roxas. Roxas instantly raised his key blade.

"Ario." He said, causing a channel of his own wind to surround him. Wardes wind spell crashed into the barrier before it was instantly nullified. He could only gape as Roxas pointed his Keyblade at the man.

"My turn. Blizzard!" he said. Ice spikes ejected from Roxas's key blade before they shot straight at Wardes. Wardes's eyes widened a bit before he looked down and slammed his weapon into the ground. The ice spikes smashed against a magic barrier, leaving only small fragments of icy dust in their wake.

Wardes raised his head and pointed his staff at where Roxas was supposed to be. "Not bad Roxas, but…" he started before his eyes widened. Roxas was nowhere to be found. "Where did he…"

WACK

A sharp pain erupted on the back of his head, causing the square class mage to fall to the ground, completely unconscious.

Roxas stood there behind him with his key blade extended. He had used his light dash to circle around the man while Wardes was preoccupied by the Blizzard spell. The poor man never saw it coming. Though Roxas had to admit. He was very disappointed in this fight. He expected much more from this man, but even Tabitha and Kirche gave him a better run for his money than Wardes did.

Roxas lowered his Keyblade before he let it vanish. He rolled his shoulder a few times. "Well, I guess that's what happened when you underestimate your opponent." He said as he faced Louise and Guiche.

"ROXAS!" Louise screeched as she rushed to Wardes side. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?"

Roxas groaned, already knowing that Louise would act like this. "Relax Louise, I just knocked him out. He should be up in a few moments."

Just as he said that, Wardes's eyes slowly opened before he looked up at his fiancé. He was a bit confused before he turned his attention to Roxas. It was then he realized what just happened.

He had lost. No. He was completely annihilated, seemingly effortlessly against this youth. Just the thought of that caused his blood to boil a bit. He glared at the boy before he attempted to sit up. He winced a bit as he felt the pain in his ribs, but tried to ignore it to save what dignity he had left.

Louise noticed his painful expression before she hovered over him like a protective hen. "Are you alright Sir Wardes?"

"I am fine Louise." He said before he slowly stood on his feet, leaning a bit on Louise as he did so. His head was acing from the blow Roxas landed, but his pride was much more bruised than his body. "I underestimated you familiar. You managed to defeat me, but I didn't expect you to go for such a cowardly move."

Roxas scoffed a bit. "An enemy will not fight fair. They will take any opportunity given to kill you." He said as he thought about the heartless. They would literally do anything to kill you in the end. They never fought fair, so why should he?

"Cowardly tricks will only get you so far. If you want to protect my fiancé, you will have to do better than that." He said as he gently pushed off Louise before he flipped his coat over his shoulder and began to walk away, Louise quickly following behind him.

Roxas shook his head. From what he could see, Wardes was just being a sore loser. That actually surprised him a bit because he expected a bit more maturity out of the square class mage.

Shrugging his shoulders, Roxas turned to see Guiche standing there, staring at him with his mouth open. "You defeated Sir Wardes!" he said before he quickly composed himself. He dramatically touched his forehead. "Well… It's only to be expected of someone who has defeated me. If I lost to you, then there was no way Sir Wardes stood a chance."

Roxas gave an amused smile before he walked past the flamboyant boy. "Whatever makes you sleep at night Guiche." He said as he retreated back to his room, Guiche quickly following behind.

* * *

In his room, Wardes cringed in pain as he looked in the mirror at the massive purple bruise on his side. One of his ribs was cracked and he was forced to drink a healing potion because of it. He didn't expect Louise's familiar to be that strong. And he was able to use triangle class magic! That alone made him a large threat to his plans.

"I told you he was not someone you should underestimate." A voice said behind him.

Wardes turned to see a hooded figure standing in the doorway. The person quickly entered the room before she closed the door. The figure then lowered her hood to reveal a mop of long green hair.

"Fouquet." He growled before he turned his attention back to his bruise. "He only got lucky. Was there a specific reason you didn't tell me he could use triangle class magic?" he snapped, before he winced in pain.

Fouquet looked at him curiously. "Because I didn't know. He only used two spells when I fought him, both ones that I have never seen before. He is very skilled when it comes to limiting the amount of ability's he shows people when he fights. But you have to admit, would you expect any less from the great Gandalfr?"

Wardes grit his teeth as he rubbed the back of his head. "Gandalfr was supposed to be an expert at using any weapon, not using magic! There is something not right here." He hissed as he felt the goose egg on his head.

Fouquet gave a small laugh. "It seems you're only mad that you lost. I didn't pin as a sore looser type."

"Shut your mouth Fouquet. Need I remind you that there are worse things than prison?" Wardes growled as he turned to her.

Fouquet huffed before she crossed her arms. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Wardes let a grin cross his face. "All I need you to do is stall them long enough so I can get away with Louise."

"Sounds easy enough."

"I wouldn't be so sure. You lost to Roxas in the past, what makes you think you can do better this time?"

Fouquet turned red from embarrassment. "Shut up! He only beat me because I didn't know how to use the staff of destruction. He caught me off guard. It won't happen this time."

"Make sure that it doesn't. We can't have failure Fouquet. This is too important. You know what will happen to you if you fail this time." He said with a small grin.

Fouquet bit her lower lip as she felt herself trembling. Her entire countenance dropped as she unconsciously touched the back of her neck. Behind her fingers was a glowing circular mark.

"I understand. I-I will not fail you again."

"You better hope not."

"But-But what happened if he tries to stop you again? How will you fight-" Fouquet started before her eyes widened drastically. Wardes was facing her now with a sickening grin on his face. But that wasn't what she was afraid of. Currently, there were black and dark green wisps of energy coming from his body as he stood there. The air around her was so thick that she felt like she was choking. It only lasted for a few seconds before it vanished.

"Does that answer your question?" Wardes asked as his grin widened.

"W-What was that?" Fouquet gasped.

"Just a little gift from Joseph."

* * *

It was later in the same day that Roxas exited his room. He was really tired of listening to Louise scream at him for hurting Wardes. In the end, he simply left her alone in her room; all the while she commanded him to stay and even threw around empty threats if he didn't. Roxas had enough of her bitching at him for one day and really needed to clear his mind. He didn't know what her problem was. It was Wardes that wanted a dual in the first place.

He gave a sigh as he walked down the streets of the city, wondering why he was still by this girl's side.

"Oh, that's right." Roxas said sarcastically. "It's because if I don't, I won't be able to see my friends anymore." He gave another sigh as he looked up into the evening sky. The sun was setting again, which really made him want to watch it with Tabitha and Sylphid. "I also have a debt to her that I need to repay." Even if it wasn't intentional, she made it possible for him to become his own person. Somehow, she summoned him away from Sora and now he was growing his own heart.

It was all because of her. He felt like he owed her that much by continuing to be her familiar for the time being.

"Having a heart is a really strange thing." He said as he continued to walk down the road.

Suddenly, a quick motion above him caught his attention. He looked up to see a clocked figure jumping from the rooftops of the building. For some reason, that figure was incredibly familiar. Where had he seen that cloak befo…

Roxas's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered.

"Fouquet!" Roxas growled as he remembered her standing on top of her golem, wearing the same hooded cloak as the figure that was currently jumping atop the rooftops. Without a second's hesitation, he jumped up onto the rooftops to follow after her. He made sure he keeps himself hidden by ducking behind buildings and into alleyways as he continued to follower her through the city.

It didn't take long before they reached the rocky mountain landscape on the outskirts of the city. Roxas continued to sneak behind the hooded figure until she finally stopped by a small river of water that ran through the landscape. The figure dropped her hood to reveal long green hair.

Roxas hid behind a large rock as he growled a bit, his suspicions confirmed about the stranger. He peaked behind the rock and watched as she knelt down in front of the river and scoop up and handful of water for a quick drink. Roxas clenched his fist as he watched her, many questions arising in his mind. How did she get out of prison? What was going on? What was she doing here of all places?

There was a flash of light before the oblivion appeared in his hand. He was about to leap out and attack her, but then he heard a quiet sob. Roxas blinked a few times before he peaked his head around the Rock again to get a better look. Fouquet had fallen to her hands and knees, allowing her green hair to flow freely in the breeze. Roxas could see her frame shake slightly as her sobs began to increase. From this angle, he could see tears flow freely from her eyes.

…

Roxas was confused. No, he was beyond confused. What in the world was she crying about? She was a criminal that had tried to hurt his friends! Yet, here she was, crying. Roxas narrowed his eyes before he shook his head. It didn't matter if she was crying or not. She had nearly hurt his friends, so she was going to pay for it…

But…

Roxas didn't move as he saw Fouquet look into her reflection in the water. She scrunched her face in anger before she violently slapped the surface, sending drops of water flying through the air.

"I never wanted this!"

Roxas blinked a few times as he heard her talk, lowering his Keyblade in the process.

"I never wanted to be a part of a war. I-I just needed money to help with the orphanage, to help Tiffania and I to survive. So why?" She cried as she looked up into the sky. "Why do I have to suffer like this Brimer? What did I do to deserve this? Why did my nobility get taken away from me? Why do I have to fight in a war that has nothing to do with me?" She cried as more tears fell from her eyes. She slapped the surface of the water again, almost as if she was disgusted by even the sight of herself.

Roxas continued to listen to her, his confusion growing by the second. She needed money to help an orphanage? What was she talking about?

"It was so simple; I would just go around and steal from nobles to support myself and Tiffania. Why did I have to get caught by someone like Wardes? Why did he put a seal on me and force me to do his bidding? Making me steal the staff of destruction, making me work for that old pervert Osmond…" she said before she nearly gaged. "Making me nearly kill children. What did I do to deserve this?" She screamed in frustration as she slapped the water once again.

Roxas continued to stare at her, his mouth slightly ajar as she started to cry uncontrollably. What the hell was going on? What did Wardes have to do with this? How was he connected to Fouquet? And what did she mean by a seal?"

Roxas clenched his hand around the handle of the oblivion. He wanted nothing more than to go out there and beat Fouquet to a bloody pulp, but for some reason he just couldn't do it. He couldn't rush out there and attack her; god knows he wanted to after she almost killed his friends.

But…

His growing heart demanded that he stop and figure out what was going on.

Giving a small sigh, he made his decision as he walked out from behind the rock.

"Fouquet."

Instantly, Fouquet froze as she felt her blood run cold. She whipped around to see Roxas standing there, a frown marring his face and his Keyblade clenched in his hand.

Fouquet's face went through an array of emotion before it settled on fear and anger. "HOW? How did you find me?" she asked though gritted teeth, making no attempts to even hide the fact that she was crying. This was bad. If she was defeated here, she would fail her mission, and Wardes would…She didn't even want to think about it.

"If you didn't want me to see you, you shouldn't have jumped on the rooftops." Roxas said as he lowered his Keyblade, letting it vanish in a flash of light. This caused Fouquet's eyes to widen drastically before she looked at him in confusion. Mentally, she cursed herself for acting so reckless in the city. She was so blinded by rage and fear that she just wanted to get away from Wardes for a few moments without taking precautions. One of those precautions was her wand. It was still in her room back at the port. It would seem that her recklessness was going to cost her.

"Fouquet. I heard everything." Roxas said as he crossed his arms, leveling her with a glare.

Fouquet's mouth dropped open for a few moments before it formed into a sad smile. "Then you know that I have no choice in the matter." She said sadly. "If I don't do what Wardes says, he will… He will..." her voice was cracking slightly as more tears formed in her eyes.

Roxas eased up on his glare a bit as he unfolded his arms. "What does Wardes have to do with this? What did he do to you? You said he is forcing you to do his will with a seal, right?" he asked, causing Fouquet to nod, though she was eyeing him skeptically. There was no point in hiding it now. She was completely at his mercy without any way to defend herself.

"The seal he used is one of his own creations. Only a very skilled Square class mage can make something like this, and as such, only someone of equal skill can remove it." She started. "It has three effects. The first is complete torture." She said as she shivered a bit. "The second is paralysis, and the third is…instant death."

Roxas's eyes widened a bit as he heard that. He felt his stomach turn a bit as she listed off the effects of the seal. "How can Wardes get away with something like this? Are you saying he could kill you at any moment?"

Fouquet nodded as her eyes became a bit hollow. "Sometimes, I would have preferred death to what he has done to me in the past." She said as she began to shake a little. "Sometimes, he would leave me paralyzed, and he would…He would." She said as tears started to stream down her face.

Roxas's mouth dropped open when he saw the state she was in. The look she had in her eyes was almost the same as the girls he found in Count Mott's basement. It was horrifying to say the least.

"That is why…" She said as she wiped away her tears with her sleeve. "That is why I don't have a choice. I can't disobey him. I-I'm tired of suffering."

 _I have no choice in the matter_

Roxas remembered Fouquet saying that in the past when she tried to use the staff of destruction. So this is what she meant by it.

"No, there is something you can do." Roxas stared, causing Fouquet to look up at him. "You can ask for help. I don't know your whole story, but the only reason you are doing this is because of the seal, right? Why haven't you told anyone about it?"

Fouquet laughed bitterly. "Who would believe the mouth of a thief? Even if I did show them the seal, who would believe me? Wardes took advantage of that little fact. There is no one I can turn to, and if Wardes found out I asked anyone to help, I would be dead before I hit the ground."

"Then let me help you."

Fouquet stared into his crystal blue eyes before she scoffed. "The last time I trusted a noble, my father got his nobility status taken away and he committed suicide."

"Then we don't have a problem, do we? I am not a noble, just a nobody." He said. "If you have a seal that is locked on you, then I may have a way to remove it."

Fouquet's eyes widened a bit as she heard that. She searched his eyes, looking for any dishonestly, but found only conviction. "How? How can you free me?"

Roxas extended his hand before there was a flash of light, allowing the Oathkeeper to appear. "My weapon is very special. I told you before that a Keyblade chooses its master. But what I didn't tell you is that this weapon has the power to unlock anything."

"A-Anything?" Fouquet asked, her body starting to shake a bit.

Roxas nodded before he lowered his weapon. "I know I can remove that seal. But you are going to have to tell me what Wardes has been up to. How is he involved in all this?"

Immediately, Fouquet frowned as she bit her lower lip. "If I tell you, Wardes will kill me. Or worse, activate the torture spell on this seal and leave me to suffer until I go insaine. How do I know you can remove the seal?"

"You will just have to trust me."

"How can I trust you?" Fouquet shot back. "You are my enemy! I nearly killed you and your friends. How do I know you will help me?"

"Because my heart is telling me to help you. I am learning to follow it." He said as he stared into her eyes. "What is your heart telling you?"

Fouquet paused as she thought about his question. Truthfully, she really wanted to believe what he was saying. She DESPERATELY wanted to believe it. Could she trust him? Could he help her?

Fouquet looked down at the ground before she clenched her fists. "If-If I tell you this, it will seal my fate. There will be no going back." She said. "But I-I guess I can put trust in my own heart." She said as determination welled up in her eyes. "Wardes are the leader of the rebellion in Albion. He is planning to use me to distract you so he can take Louise and lure Wales out of hiding."

Roxas's eyes widened a bit as he learned this bit of information. "Why?"

"Because Wardes is planning to kill Whales. With Whales gone, the rebellion will take over Albion, and then they will set their sights on Tristania."

Roxas grit his teeth in anger. He didn't expect this from Wardes. He may have been a sore loser, but he seemed like he was a decent enough guy. "So what do you propose we do?"

Fouquet looked at him again, biting the inside of her cheek. "If you can get this seal off me, then do it tomorrow. I know that it is your mission to get Henrietta's letter back from Albion. The only way to complete your mission is to let Whales be lured out by Louise so you can retrieve the letter. If that letter falls into the wrong hands, then Tristian will be alone in this battle against Albion. Even if Whales survives, it is only a matter of time before a war starts. So let me stall you. When they are gone, free me from this seal and I will tell you where Wardes is going to lure Whales out of hiding."

Roxas thought about it for a while. It was a very risky plan. He could free Fouquet there and take out Wardes right now, but then then they would never get the letter from Albion, and it would most likely fall into the wrong hands, leaving Tristan without allies in this war.

Finally, Roxas nodded. "It's the best plan we've got."

Fouquet gave a large sigh as she touched the seal on her neck. "I sure hope you can get this off, because if you don't, I-I don't even want to think about what will happen to me."

"I promise. It's not fair to have your existence enslaved by someone else."

Fouquet laughed a bit. "You're not one to talk. You are a human familiar. Basically a slave to Louise's will."

Roxas stared at her before he gave a small grin. "Do you want to know why I am so sure I can remove the seal?" He asked.

Fouquet raised an eyebrow before she eagerly nodded.

"Since you are putting your trust in me, I believe I should show you the same respect." Roxas said as he reached over to his left hand and pulled the glove off. Fouquet's eyes widened as she saw the unmarred skin. There were no runes.

"Where-Where are the runes of Gandalfr? I know Professor Colbert saw them!" She exclaimed.

Roxas grinned a bit at her reaction, though he was a bit confused. "The Runes of Gandalfr? I removed the familiar runes."

"They are the same thing. Professor Colbert discovered what they were the day you got them."

"Are they supposed to be important?"

Fouquet blinked a few times before she shook her head. "It is a long story. I will tell you tomorrow." She said as she continued to stare at the back of his hand. "How did you remove them?"

Roxas gave a small smile before he replaced the glove. "The same day that I got the runes, they began to affect my memory and influence my choices against my will. I used my Keyblade to unlock the bond between familiar and master. I have never been her familiar for more than a day."

Fouquet stared at him, a new hope rising in her chest. However, a new question formed in her mind. "If you are no longer her familiar, then why are you…still with her? I have seen the way she treats you. You could be out doing whatever you wanted, yet you chose to stay by her side."

"Because I owe her." Roxas said as he turned to walk away.

"What do you owe her? What did she possible do for you?"

Roxas stopped before he turned around to face her. "She gave me the chance to exist. A chance for me to be my own person, Fouquet. No one else could have done that for me." He said as he turned to walk away.

Fouquet had a look of confusion on her face before she brushed it aside. Roxas was a strange enigma, one that she could not even begin to understand. For the first time in a long while, she gave a true smile.

"Matilda." she called out to him.

Roxas turned to look at her again.

"My real name is Matilda."

Roxas gave another smile before he extended his hand and disappeared in a Corridor of darkness.

Matilda stood there; hope filling her being for the first time in years. She had something to hope for now, a hope that she would finally be free.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yes, Yes, I know this didn't happen in cannon, nor did it happen in the light novel. If you are looking for a pure Canon Crossover, this is not your fanfiction. I made it this way because Matilda will be playing a role in the future of this story. I know she was an antagonist in the light novels, but it is going to be a bit different.**

 **Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review with you thoughts. Things will be very interesting next chapter. As the darkness that Wardes briefly displayed will play a big part. Hope you look forward to it, and I am sorry if chapters take a little longer to come out with because college is going to be a bust.**

 **For those of you who are like "There were no heartless before Ansem and before the time of birth by sleep." That is where you are wrong. True there were no EMBLEM heartless, but in the realm of darkness, there existed pure blood heartless, like dark sides, neoshadows, and shadows.**

 **Until then!**

 **P.S. If you think Louise is acting a bit bitchy right now, you have to remember that she always acted a bit more impatient and mean to Saito when she was around someone she respected, like Wardes or Henrietta.**


	13. Chapter 13: Darkness

**Authors Note: Hey guys. Once again, thank you for the support on the story. It means a lot to me.**

 **So, school has officially started. It's not so bad right now, but I know it will get harder. I was able to get this out for you all so I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Also, just wanted to apologize for some of the spelling errors in the last chapter, but I did give you a warning that there would be some. Guys, cut me some slack. It's tough to find all the errors in 10K word chapters, even if I triple check them.**

 **Anyway, I am excited for this chapter. The last chapters fight scene with Wardes was short, but it was more of a preview for this chapter. It's going to be intense, so I hope I did an alright job at it.**

 **Warning: There will be some grammar and spelling errors. SORRY!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 13

It was the evening of the next day that Roxas found himself watching the sunset, leaning against a rail near the side of a cliff. It was taking a lot of self-control to not just storm over to Wardes's room and rip him a new one, but if he did that, they would lose their chance to get Henrietta's letter.

Still…

It didn't mean he had to like this plan. There were a lot of risks involved, one of them being the danger that Louise would be put in.

Guiche was right next to him, watching the sunset as well. He was unusually quiet for some reason. Sneaking a glance at the boy, Roxas noticed that there was a red hand-shaped print the side of his face.

"Uh, Guiche?" Roxas started, causing the boy to look over at him. Guiche had anime tears rolling down his cheeks. "What happened to you?"

"Oh Roxas, it was dreadful. I found this really gorgeous young woman and…"

That's when Roxas tuned him out. When Guich would start drawling on about some girl, there was no telling when he was going to stop, especially if the woman rejected him in some way. Turning his attention back to the sunset, Roxas could not help but grind his teeth in anticipation. Another risk to this plan was making this diversion look realistic. If Wardes got even one whiff that Matilda had betrayed him, she would be dead in an instant. That was another reason that he could not take Wardes out then and there. Matilda had placed her trust in him by explaining Wardes's plan. Roxas needed to keep his end of the bargain by trusting her now. Still, that was a lot easier said than done. She used to be his enemy, but now he was placed in a position where he had to trust that she would follow through with her plan.

Right now, he was waiting for the time that Matilda would show up and stall them so Wardes could get away with Louise. Again, this was a risky plan because he didn't know what Wardes would do to Louise during that time. If it was anything like what he did to Matilda…Roxas didn't want to think about it.

* * *

"And then, she just slapped me on the cheek! Can you believe that?" Guiche cried as he flopped over the rail. "How could she do that to me? …Roxas! Are you even listening?"

"Hmm? Oh Yeah." Roxas said as he snapped out of his daze.

Guiche threw his hands into the air. "No you weren't."

Roxas was about to reply, but the ground suddenly began to rumble. Guiche and Roxas steadied themselves against the rail as the earth began to shift. Suddenly, a massive body burst forth from the ground. Roxas recognized it immediately; after all, he had fought this thing more than once. However, the arrival of this giant creature meant that Matilda was here as well, and that meant that Wardes didn't suspect a thing…Hopefully.

Roxas gave a small sigh of relieve. Guiche, on the other hand, was freaking out, waving his rose frantically though the air.

"What is that? Where did it come fro…?" Guiche started, until the gears started to turn in his mind. "Roxas! That's Fouquet's Golem!" he shouted.

"Oh, so you do have a brain under all those good looks." A voice said from on top of the golem.

Roxas and Guiche looked up to see a green-haired figure standing on top of the golems head. She was easily recognized.

"Fouquet!" Guiche shouted as he pointed his rose up at the woman. "How did you escape from prison?"

"You shouldn't ask a girl about her secrets." Matilda said as she flipped her hair to the side. She looked over at Roxas. "So, we meet again Roxas. I will have to pay you back for our last encounter."

"Fouquet." Roxas said, faking anger. "Why are you here? What's going on?"

Mathilda gave a sinister smile as she played along. She shrugged her shoulders dramatically. "Oh, after I escaped from prison, I found myself here. I was just minding my own business until, lo and behold, I saw the very people that put me in prison. I really couldn't let this opportunity pass to get a little revenge."

Guiche narrowed his eyes before he raised his rose. "It's what you deserved after what you did, Fouquet."

"Aww, did I make the little boy angry?" she taunted. "Don't worry; I will make it all better."

Immediately, she raised her wand and pointed over at Roxas, completely ignoring Guiche in the process. The golem reacted by raising its right arm before bringing it down on Roxas. Roxas smirked as he easily dodged the oncoming fist. In fact, he noticed that it was much slower than the last time he fought. It seemed that Matilda was taking it down a notch. Hopefully it would be convincing enough for Wardes though.

Guiche raised his rose before he started chanting off a spell. He flicked the flower before seven petals detached. Immediately, they spawned in a number of Valkyries. Another flick of Guiche's rose caused them to attack the golem.

Fouquet barely paid them any mind as she lazily waved her wand at the incoming attackers. The golem swung its massive fist to the side, destroying the greater part of Guiche's small army. Guiche didn't seem that phased by it before he flicked his rose again, causing another petal to detach. The petal flew through the air before it landed on the feet at the golem's feet. Quickly, Guiche muttered another spell under his breath before he waved his rose once more. Suddenly, the ground that the golem was standing on turned to mud.

Fouquet looked down in shock as her golem began to sink into the ground. The giant creature tried to step out, but it just caused it to sink even faster. It was already up to its knees in the mud. Fouquet leaped off the giant as it continued to sink. However, it stopped when half of its body was in the mud.

Guiche waved his rose again, causing the mud to instantly harden, completely trapping the golem in the process.

Roxas raised his eyebrows in surprise. He did not expect that from Guiche…And by the look on Matilda's face, she could not believe it either.

Soon, Matilda regained her composure before she gave a condescending smile. "Well, it seems that the little mage has learned a few tricks."

Guiche gave a small smirk. "After I was defeated by Roxas, I learned that I cannot continue to be weak. I need to be strong if I am to protect the people I care about. So I practice every day to improve myself." He said as he crossed his rose in front of his face.

Roxas had to admit, Guiche looked pretty bad ass right now.

Fouquet looked over at her golem. "Not bad, pretty boy. However…" Fouquet said as she whipped her wand to the side. Suddenly, the ground that Guiche was standing on turned to sand. He yelped before he sunk in to his knees. Another wave of her wand later, the sand hardened, leaving Guiche completely stuck. "You still have a lot to learn."

Guiche tried to chant off another spell, but Matilda was quicker on the draw. She whipped her wand again, causing a small column of earth to shoot from the ground and encompass Guiche's right hand. It then dragged his hand and the rose into the ground, leaving Guiche completely defenseless. Guiche grunted as he tried to pry his hand free from the earth, but it was no use.

Matilda turned away from him before she faced Roxas. "Now that the distraction is over, how about we dance a little." She said before she grinned. She chanted a quick spell before she waved her wand. The Golem that was stuck in the mud suddenly dissolved into the ground before it started to reform underneath her. It wasn't seconds later that she was standing on top of it again, looking down at the nobody.

Roxas whipped his hand to the side before the Forgotten Light flashed into existence. "I couldn't agree more."

Matilda looked down at the Keyblade before she laughed a little. "Oh the memories. You are using the Staff of Destruction against me? What irony." She said as she raised her wand and pointed at Roxas. The golem rammed its arm at Roxas, but it was easily avoided as he jumped back. He then pointed the Forgotten Light at the golem.

"Blizzara!" Ice shot from the tip of the Keyblade before it impacted the golem's arm. Instantly, Ice crystals erupted around the giant fist, firmly locking it to the ground. Roxas eyes widened a bit. He knew that the Forgotten Light boosted his magical ability, but this was really impressive. Shaking it off, Roxas shot forward, dashing past the fist before he swung his Keyblade at one of the golem's legs. The Keyblade cut clean through, causing the golem to stumble to the ground.

Roxas turned around as he rested the Keyblade on his shoulder. "Don't tell me this is all you have Fouquet."

Matilda smirked ashes raised her wand. "I learned a few tricks since the last time we fought." She said as she waved her wand. The golem suddenly tugged at its frozen appendage. It took only a few seconds before it broke its own arm completely off, freeing itself from the icy hold in the process. With another flick of the wand, the golem pointed its stump at the surrounding wall of earth. Immediately, the rock broke away from the wall and began to reform the golems arm and leg. It wasn't long before its body was completely recovered, almost as if Roxas had never touched it in the first place.

"That's more like it." Roxas said as he got into his single Keyblade stance. Matilda swung her wand, causing the golem to point an open hand at Roxas. Suddenly, earth spikes shot from the golem's hand. Roxas jumped back to avoid a few before he stood his ground. He slashed through couple more, shattering them upon contact, before he pointed his Keyblade at the golem's hand.

"Fira!" A massive fireball erupted from the tip of the Keyblade before it impacted the hand. The appendage exploded, leaving parts of the arm on fire from the spell. However, the damage was fixed with another wave of Mathilda's wand.

"Keep fighting Roxas. I can do this all day." Matilda said as she smirked down at him.

Roxas gave a little smile and was about to attack again, but he suddenly saw something behind Matilda, which caused his eyes to widen drastically.

Matilda noticed his expression and turned around. Her eyes widened as well before she waved her wand with insanely quick speed. A wall of earth shot up from the ground in front of her. Immediately, earth spikes collided with the wall, but luckily, none of them penetrated through.

Matilda felt her heart hammer against her chest. Her breaths were coming out in short gasps. That was way too close for comfort. She waved her wand again, causing the earth wall to drop. She then looked over at who had nearly caught her off guard.

Her eyes widened a bit as she saw Guiche there. His legs and right arm were still stuck in the ground. But in his left hand was another rose. He had it pointed at her, his face strained in concentration. He waved his rose again before the ground that held him captive turned back into sand. Easily, he crawled back out before he stood on his feet.

"How did you get your wand back?" Matilda questioned.

"I always bring a spare rose in case I meet a very special girl." He said before he crossed the rose in front of his face. "You were lucky Fouquet. I almost hade you there. Escaping your little trap was very easy because I am also an earth mage." He said as he swung his rose. Eight Valkyries appear before they attacked the golem.

Matilda was very impressed, but she could not help but laugh at his attempts at fighting. "You have improved a lot, but if this is the best you have to offer, it just goes to show why you are still a dot mage." She said as her golem swung its arm and destroyed all of the Valkyries again. She looked at Guiche, expecting to see him completely terrified. However, instead of fear, she saw a smirk on his face.

"Those Valkyries were not meant to beat you." He said with a grin.

Matilda was confused for only a second before she felt cold metal against her throat. Realization dawned on her. She didn't even have to look to know who it was. Guiche had distracted her so that Roxas could catch her off guard.

Their strategy was impressive. If she hadn't of talked to Roxas the previous evening, then this situation would have been a lot more worrisome. "Looks like you got me." Matilda said as she raised her arms in defeat.

"Yeah, looks like i…"

Suddenly, a massive shadow passed over them. Roxas, Guiche, and Mathilda all looked up to see a large ship flying through the air.

Guiche's eyes widened in horror. "That's the ship we are supposed to be on! They left without us!"

Roxas gave a small smile before he lowered his Keyblade. "Not bad Matilda."

Matilda gave a sigh of relief before she gingerly touched her neck. "Not bad yourself."

Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed into the top of the golem. Matilda was thrown from off of her perch and over the rail of the cliff. Her wand was thrown from her hand because of the impact, leaving her without the ability to use magic.

Roxas's eyes widened before he leaped off of the golem and shot after her. Matilda was screaming as she continued to fall to the ground. Roxas grit his teeth as he tried to catch up to her, but they were falling at the same pace. He could have used the corridor of darkness, but then what? They would still be falling and the impact could still kill her.

He ground his teeth as he saw Matilda continue to fall. He needed to save her. She trusted him with her life. He could not let her down now. He would never forgive himself it he let her die. She had risked everything to help them. He could not let her die.

He Couldn't.

No…

He Wouldn't

Suddenly, a light aura surrounded Roxas. His entire being began to glow with the white aura. As if on instinct, he slammed his feet into the side of the cliff before he shot down at Matilda. He jumped against the side of the cliff again as he drew closer to the falling woman. With one last jump, he shot at her before he caught her around the waste. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder as she continued to scream into his jacket.

Roxas turned in midair before he slammed his feet into the wall again, slowing them down a bit. He did it again, his shoes digging into the side of the cliff as he slowed their decent. Looking around, he noticed they were getting close to the ground. The white aura glowed brighter as he clenched his teeth again. He pushed against the wall once more to slow there decent before he leaped away from the wall.

Roxas spun in the air before he landed on the ground, Matilda over his shoulder. The impact on the ground was enough to rattle his bones a bit, but it was much better than the other outcome. He panted a little as the white aura suddenly dispersed, leaving his gasping for air as he fell to his knees.

He accidently dropped Mathilda on the ground, causing her to yelp a bit in pain. Her breaths were coming out in short gasps as well. But her eyes were wide from shock at what just happened. She slowly looked over at the boy next to her. He was on his hands and knees, breathing deeply. He had somehow managed to catch her and slow there decent before they hit the ground.

How?

Roxas was just as surprised as she was by what happened. What was that white aura…?

Suddenly, a memory flashed through his head. He was watching Sora as he was encompassed by the same light aura. He was bouncing from wall to wall, destroying the dream eaters as he used the aura to his advantage.

As fast as the memory came, it was gone again. But from that little bit of information, it was clear what Roxas had used.

"Flowmotion." Roxas said his eyes widened a bit more. That was how he was able to slow there decent. He used Flowmotion to save himself and Matilda. Roxas shook his head as he gave a small smile. "It seems you have saved me again…Sora." He whispered before he looked over at Matilda. "Are you ok Matilda?"

Matilda nodded dumbly before she put a hand over her heart. "I thought I was going to die there."

"You're not the only one." Roxas gasped as he pushed himself to his feet.

Suddenly, a shadow passed over them, causing Fouquet and Roxas to look up. Roxas saw a blue dragon descending upon them with three familiar figures riding on its back.

"Sylphid?" Roxas said before he saw the passengers. "Tabitha? Kirche? What are you doing there?"

Sylphid landed on the ground in front of Matilda and Roxas. Tabitha quickly jumped off before she narrowed her eyes a little. She pointed her staff at the both of them.

Guiche was the next person to jump off of the dragon. He also had his eyes narrowed and his flower pointed at them. "Roxas, what is the meaning of this? Why did you save her?"

"I have to admit, I am curious as well Roxas." Kirche said, not even calling him darling this time. Roxas could tell by the sound of her voice that this was serious.

Roxas sighed as he looked over at Matilda. She looked him in the eye before she gave a small nod. He then glanced at his friends again.

"I guess I should explain."

* * *

It only took a few minutes to explain the situation. Matilda even showed them the magical seal on the back of her neck as proof. At the end, everyone seemed satisfied with the explanation. They even felt a little pity for Matilda. It also turned out that the reason Tabitha and Kirche were here was because they had seen Roxas, Guiche, and Louise leave yesterday. Kirche's curiosity got the best of her and she dragged Tabitha along for the ride.

"That's horrible! To think that Wardes would do such a thing. And he is the leader of the rebellion in Albion?" Kirche asked.

Roxas nodded. "We needed Wardes to take Louise to where Wales is hiding so we can complete our mission. We can't have Tristan fighting in a war alone. If that letter gets out, Tristian won't have an alliance with Germania."

"I see your point, but that's still is a risky plan." Kirche commented

"And it just got riskier." Matilda said sadly.

Roxas blinked a few times before he turned to her. "What do you mean?"

Matilda bit her lip. "Wardes let me know a few things before I came to stall you. It turns out that he had three goals in mind. The first was to get the letter from Wales and destroy any alliance Tristan may have had with Germania, the second was to kill Prince Wales, and the third…" she paused for a moment before she took a deep breath. "Was capturing Louise and bring her to Albion."

Roxas felt his eyes widen in horror. "Why? Why would Wardes want to capture Louise?"

"Because Louise is a void Mage."

…

Everyone was silent for the longest time, trying to absorb what Matilda was saying. Kirche was the first to break the silence. "But…that's impossible! Void has never been seen since the founder. And besides, Louise has never succeeded in making any spell work!"

Matilda shook her head at how naïve Kirche was being. "She has a tremendous amount of power building up in her. Every small spell she tried to cast, she would accidently overload it with magic, causing it to explode. However, that was not how we learned of her void mage status." She said as she turned to Roxas. "It was because of you."

"Me?"

Matilda nodded. "You bare the runes of Gandalfr. The legendary familiar of the founder Brimir."

Everyone looked between Roxas and Matilda for a few second before she continued. "When I learned about the runes from Professor Colbert, Wardes and I did a little research and found that you were indeed the legendary familiar. And because of that, the only explanation was that Louise was a mage of the void. With that kind of power and influence to back up the rebellion, Tristain would not have stood a chance. There would have been a bloodbath."

Roxas felt his eyes widen. He was not the only one though. Everyone was trying to process this new information.

"But…But surely, Louise would not aid in a battle against the Princess and her own country." Guiche said shakily.

Matilda grimaced a bit as she shook her head. "Wardes has already accounted for that. His accomplice, Cromwell, will be controlling her with the Andvari Ring. The one he stole from the water spirit."

Roxas jaw dropped a bit as she understood the situation. This man, Cromwell, was the reason the water spirit was so angry. Louise was being controlled by Wardes and this man, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Roxas felt his stomach drop a bit as he realized how dangerous there plan really was now.

"Damn it!" He cursed. If he had known that this plan would be this dangerous, then he would have never allowed Wardes to get away. Mission is dammed when his friend's life was on the line like this. He looked at Matilda. "What can we do? How far away are we from Albion?"

"Wardes is planning to force Louise to marry him at a church in Albion. It's nearly a day's journey from here by flying ship." Matilda said sadly.

Roxas grit his teeth in anger. One day was way too long, and besides, the next ship didn't leave until tomorrow. "DAMN IT!" He shouted in frustration. He needed to get there faster. But what could he do? He didn't know where the church was, so he couldn't use Corridor of darkness to teleport there. What could he do?

 _Use Flowmotion_

Roxas blinked a few times as that thought penetrated his mind. He knew from his memory that Flowmotion was very fast, but would it be enough to get there in time?

 _Use Flowmotion!_

Roxas shook his head, trying to push his doubts to the back of his mind. If Flowmotion was his only shot, then he was going to take it. Suddenly, he calmed himself as he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

Everyone was staring at him in confusion. Just a second ago, he was freaking out about the situation. Now he was calm and composed. What was going through his head?

Suddenly, a white aura began to emit from his entire being. It was gentle at first, but then it increased into a raging storm of twisting energy.

Matilda's eyes widened a bit as she recognized the aura. He had used it to save her when she was falling off the cliff. But what was it? She had never seen any form of magic quite like this before.

Kirche, Guiche, and Tabitha were thinking the same thing as they watched Roxas in awe. He almost looked angelic with the white aura circling his body.

Roxas opened his eyes. He raised his right hand and looked at the white aura before he clenched his fist. He then looked at the rest of his friends. They were all staring at him; their mouths dropped open in awe.

"I will explain later, but I don't have time right now. I will go ahead since I am faster when using Flowmotion. If you can try and make it there, please do. I will need all the help I can get." He said.

Kirche blinked a few times before she massaged her temples. "Geez. Will you stop it? My mind is already filled with questions about you. I really don't need more." She said before she gave him a smile. "Be safe, ok?"

Tabitha walked forward, catching his attention. She was staring at the light before she gently reached up and pinched the fabric of his coat. She could feel the warmth of the aura that he was emitting.

"Warm" she said before she looked into his eyes. "Be careful. We will be right behind you."

"Thanks." Roxas said.

Guiche finally regained his composure before he ran his hand through his hair. "Despite the fact that you have an angelic aura now, don't think for a second that makes you more handsome than me."

Roxas sweat dropped a bit before he laughed. He then turned to Matilda. "It's time for me to keep my end of the barge. I won't have time to undo the seal when I get there, so I need to remove it now. I still need you to help me find the church though. Will you help me?"

Matilda was still staring at his glowing state, but she nodded. She turned her back to him and moved her hair out of the way to reveal the magical seal on her neck.

Immediately, the Oathkeeper appeared in his right hand before he pointed it at the seal on her neck. Everyone watched in awe as a circle of light formed at the tip of the weapon. It continued to charge until a beam of light ejected from the Keyblade. It impacted the center of the seal, causing the seal to light up. Roxas flicked his wrist, unlocking the seal and making a small click before the beam of light dissipated. The seal flashed once before it dissolved from off the back of Matilda's neck.

Even though Matilda couldn't see it removed, she knew she was free. The feeling of freedom after so long was enough to bring her to tears. She bit her lower lip as they freely fell from her eyes. Her first taste of freedom was so sweet. It was finally over. She didn't have to worry about Wardes killing her at any moment now, or having to be tortured for hours on end…Or even…

Just the thought brought her to her knees as she freely let her emotions go.

Roxas smiled a bit as he remembered Kirche telling him about why people cry when they are not sad. Now that he was seeing it, he really did understand why people cry when they are happy. Slowly, he walked over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Matilda. I really need your help now. Please point me the direction I need to go."

Matilda wiped her eyes before she nodded. She had a large smile on her face as she stood on her feet. "I know how to get there, but how am I going to keep up with you?"

Roxas didn't answer that question as he swooped down and picked her up bridal style, causing her to blush a bit out of embarrassment. She felt the aura around him. It was a very warm feeling at it gently touched her skin.

Roxas then turned to the others. "I will meet you there."

Guiche gave a smile as he saluted him. "Good luck Roxas."

Roxas nodded before he looked down at Matilda. "Which way?"

Matilda looked off in a certain direction before she pointed her finger. "That direction…um, Roxas? How fast…" She started before Roxas suddenly took off like a bullet. She yelped a bit as she threw her arms around his neck. Roxas leaped into the air and kicked against a canyon wall, increasing his speed dramatically. He then bounced between the walls as he blurred through the rocky terrain.

Everyone watched slack-jawed as Roxas left them in the dust. It was literally seconds before he was out of site. Kirche was the first to recover as she gave a small laugh. She then adopted a sultry grin on her face.

"Wow, he is fast. I wonder if he could use that speed in…other ways." She said before she turned to Tabitha. Tabitha was showing a rare moment of surprise as well before tiny blush crossed her face.

"Now, how are we supposed to follow that? How are we even supposed to find Lousie?" Guiche asked.

Just as he said that, the earth beneath him began to shake. It was an instant later that his mole familiar popped out of the ground.

"Veroandi!"

* * *

Matilda had never experience something like this before. It was almost like they were flying through the air, but this was much faster than riding on a dragon, or a griffin. At first, she was a bit scared that Roxas would drop her while he was moving, but his grip was so strong that her doubts flew out the window. It didn't take long to make it out of the rocky terrain into the forest. If it were possible, they were moving faster through the forest than the rocky terrain. Roxas was ricocheting off of trees to increase his speed. The insane amount of skill he was displaying was something to behold. Every time she thought they would crash into a tree, he would either skillfully bounce off it, or he would dodge it completely. What was even more impressive was that he was carrying her the whole time.

Not only was his speed impressive, but his strength as well. To be able to move this fast while carrying someone was truly impressive.

"Travel this way for a while." Matilda said as she pointe in another direction. Roxas nodded as he followed her command. It was a second later that they came across a cliff that went straight up.

Did that stop Roxas?

Nope.

He didn't even slow down as he shot up the wall, kicking against the earth to increase his speed. It didn't take long before they made it to the top. Roxas then took off into the forest again.

"That way." Matilda said, pointing in a direction with her hand while her other one was wrapped around Roxas's neck. Roxas did what he was told, jumping through the trees as he used Flowmotion's speed to his advantage.

Matilda had to admit, this was very…fun. She liked the feeling of wind whipping through her hairs as they moved. And it wasn't even that cold because Roxas's aura seemed to emit very comfortable warmth.

"Can you get higher? It's hard to see where were going through the trees." Matilda said.

Roxas grunted a bit before he shot upwards. They burst through the treetops before he started leaping across each tree. Matilda kept showing him the way as they traveled through the night.

* * *

Roxas had sweat rolling down his face as he continued to travel through the next day. His muscles were screaming in pain because of the constant use of Flowmotion throughout the day. He was completely and utterly exhausted.

However, he was not the only one. Matilda was struggling to stay away. She had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, but she knew she had to stay awake until they made it to the church. But thank Brimir they were closing in on it fast. It was amazing that Roxas had been able to move like that, but she could tell that he was running on less than fumes at the moment. Neither of them had eaten anything, and it looked like Roxas was about to collapse at any moment.

"Just up this hill." Matilda said as she pointed up the cliff.

Roxas grit his teeth as he shot up the side of the hill. Right at the top, there was a church building.

"This is it."

Roxas gasped as the light aura immediately faded from his body. He dropped Matilda, who didn't look like she was faring any better.

He dropped to his hands and knees, heaving as sweat continued to fall from his face. The only thing that had kept him going through the whole trip was his desire to save Louise. It's as only through sheer determination to save his friend that drove him to this point.

Matilda shakily stood on her feet. She was trying to adjust to the feeling of not having the wind constantly against her face. She was also trying not to fall to the ground in exhaustion. She stretched her arms before she dusted off the front of her robes. She then looked over at the church.

"Roxas, that's the church. You have to hurry."

Roxas nodded, trying to gulp as much air as he could before shakily standing on his feet. "T-Thank you Matilda." He gasped.

Matilda shook her head. "No, thank you. You gave me hope. You gave my freedom." She said before she walked up to him. "It may be unlikely, but I hope our paths cross in the future." She said before she gave a seductive smirk. "If you are not claimed by then, I might just have to make a man out of you."

Roxas raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh?"

Matilda laughed a bit. "You are still young. You will understand one day." She said before she gently wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a soft hug. "I really do mean it Roxas. I am really grateful for what you have done for me."

Roxas blinked before he patted her back. "Don't mention it. It's not fair to have your existence enslaved."

Matilda pulled back before she gave him one more grateful smile. "Goodbye Roxas." She said before she turned and used what energy she had left to run off into the forest.

Roxas watched her disappear before he faced the church. He took a deep breath and tried to salvage what energy he had left. Quickly, he shot over to the doors.

* * *

Louise was in trouble, there was no question about it. She thought that Wardes was acting strange the previous day when he claimed that her familiar had left for Tristain. To Louise, she knew that Roxas would not just abandon a mission like that, but her respect and admiration for Wardes clouded her judgement on the matter. She followed him alone as they traveled to Albion.

His suspicious actions continued throughout the night until she finally was convinced that he was up to something. Unfortunately, she discovered that too late.

Currently, she was being controlled by the Ring of Andvari. She was standing next to Wardes in front of an altar. Prince Wales was standing in front of her and Wardes as he performed the ceremony of marriage. He was giving some speech about the wonderful aspects of marriage, but she was paying no attention to it. She was frantically trying to fight against Cromwell's control, but the power of the ring was controlled her body with an iron grip.

Truthfully, it hurt to learn of Wardes's true nature. She never would have thought that he would betray her like this. She never expected him to turn against Tristian and start a civil war in Albania with someone like Cromwell. What happened to the kind Sir Wardes she came to admire in her younger years? What had happened to him that he would change so much?

"Louise, do you take Sir Wardes to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Wales asked as he smiled happily at the couple.

"I…I…I…" she stuttered, using every ounce of strength she had to fight against the power of the ring.

"Louise?" Wales asked, his eyebrow raised.

Wardes cleared his throat. "She is just nervous. It is a big day for her after all." He said with a gentle smile before he looked over at Louise. "Don't be shy Louise, go ahead."

"I-I" Louise stuttered again. She was fighting so hard against the rings control that actual tears were coming out of her eyes.

Wales seemed to notice as he narrowed his eyes a bit. He looked over at Wardes. "I don't think she wants to go through with this."

"Nonsense." Wardes said as he ground his teeth bit. It was easy to see that Louise was fighting against Cromwell's control, but he didn't expect this girl to have that much willpower. "Just ask her again. I am sure she will answer you."

Wales stared at him for a few seconds before he turned to Louise. "Do you take Wardes to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Louise hands were shaking a bit as she continued to try and gain control over her body. "I-I"

BAM

Suddenly, the doors of the church burst open. Everyone turned to see a gleaming weapon whirl through the entryway, right at Sir Wardes. Wardes eyes widened drastically as he dove out of the way. The weapon whizzed passed him and slammed into the wall, instantly smashing right through the brick. The weapon then turned and flew back in the direction it came.

Instantly, a hand reached though the doorway and snatched the weapon out of the air. The figure stood there in a black coat. There was with a firm glare on his face and he held a black, key-like weapon in his grip.

"LOUISE!"

Cromwell, who was watching the wedding ceremony behind a pillar in the church, was distracted for a brief moment by the sudden interruption. He suddenly lost concentration in that instant, but that was all Louise needed. When Louise heard that voice, she used all of her will power against the control of the ring.

Instantly, the spell shattered. She ripped the veil off of her head and turned towards the door. Her eyes widened drastically as she saw her familiar standing there. He had actually come for her. He somehow managed to find her.

"ROXAS!"

Roxas was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame as he panted. He pushed against the door before he walked in, pointing his key blade at Wardes. "It's over Wardes."

Everyone in the current vicinity stared at the new figure. Wales was the first to regain his composure. "Guards, ARREST HIM!"

"Wait!" Louise shouted as she turned to Prince Wales. "Prince Wales, It's a trap! Wardes is…"

"To Hell with it!" Wardes Roared as he drew his sword and rushed at Wales. Wales only had a second to look over at Wardes. His eyes widened as the sword drew nearer. In this position, there was no way he would be able to dodge. What was Wardes doing? Wales grit his teeth and waited for impact.

Wardes was within inches of thrusting his blade through Wales's heart, but suddenly, a black weapon slammed into his side, throwing him through the air and ramming him into the wall of the church.

"AURGH!" he cried as he fell to the ground. The black weapon suddenly spun through the air as Roxas rushed forward and caught the Keyblade. He then stood between Wales and Wards in his one Keyblade stance.

Wales's eyes where wide as he witnessed what just happened. There was no doubt in his mind. Wardes had tried to attack him, while this intruder had just saved his life. He was a bit to shocked to speak at the moment as he looked at the downed Wardes. Currently, the man was trying to stand on his feet while holding his ribs. A bit of blood was seeping from the side of his lip.

Wardes looked up at Roxas, his eyes wide and his teeth clenched. "HOW! How did you find us?"

Roxas didn't answer his question. "It's over Wardes. I already know you are the head of the rebellion in Albion."

If it were possible, Wales's eyes widened even more at he looked over at the mage. "Is that true Sir Wardes? Are you working for Cromwell? The leader of Reconquista?"

Wardes didn't answer as he stood shakily on his feet. However he didn't need to say anything as Louise walked up to Wales's side. "He is! I was under the control of the ring of Andvari. He was trying to force me to marry him. He said he needed me in Reconquista for some reason." She said as she glared down at the man.

Wales grit his teeth a bit as he looked from Wardes to Roxas. "Who are you?"

"That is my familiar, Roxas." Louise answered, her expression softening a bit.

Roxas relaxed his stance a bit, but kept his Keyblade out. He looked over at Wales before he gave a small nod.

Wales nodded back. "You have saved my life Roxas, for that I am grateful." He said before he turned to Wardes. "Sir Wardes. Your betrayal of Tristain saddens me. It is shameful that you have fallen to such a level and it is even sadder that Tristain has lost a prize member of the griffin knights." He said as he narrowed his eyes. "You are under arrest. Guards, seize him."

Immediately, Wardes was surrounded by Wales's guards. They moved forward to grab him, but a low chuckle stopped them in their tracks.

Wales, Louise, and Roxas stared at Wardes as he continued to laugh. His laughter increased until it was extremely menacing, filling the church with a very uneasy atmosphere.

Wardes finally finished laughing before he turned to Roxas. "It seems that Fouquet was once again useless. I will have to dispose of her once I am done with you."

Roxas narrowed his eyes, but had a knowing smile on his face. "Wardes, you are surrounded and outnumbered. Besides, you proved to be no match for me when we dueled. I beat you once. I can do it again."

Wardes gave another chuckle before a menacing grin crossed his face. "I underestimated you Roxas, but at the end of today, I will have fulfilled my goals."

"Oh? And what are those?" asked Wales, his eyes narrowed.

"First, I was to secure the letter from Henrietta." Wardes said as he fished a letter out of his jacket.

Louise gasped as she patted down her clothes. Her eyes widened as she realized the letter was no longer on her.

"The second was to kill you, Wales." He continued before he turned his eyes on Louise. "My last goal was to capture you Louise."

Louise blinked a few times, obviously confused. "Why?"

"Because, you are the first void mage that has been seen for over 6000 years. Imagine what possibilities that could give the Reconquista." Wardes said with a menacing smile.

…

Everyone stopped staring at Wardes before they looked over at the petite girl. However, she was just as confused as they were.

Wales shook his head. "You have gone mad Wardes." He said as he turned to him. "Why have you told up this anyway?"

"Because it won't really matter. I will be victorious today."

Suddenly, the air seemed to drop several degrees. It was then that Roxas caught a whiff of something that he had hoped he would never encounter on this world. His eyes widened as he felt his stomach drop. He knew this scent anywhere.

Darkness.

"No." Roxas whispered.

Suddenly, darkness erupted from around Wardes. It radiated from off his form with black and dark green wisps of energy. Everyone was too shocked to even react as Wardes raised his sword and swung it. The force of the swing caused a shockwave that send the guards flying in all directions. Roxas crouched as he braced himself against the force, but Wales and Louise was sent stumbling to the ground.

Wardes stood there with his fencing staff out, the dark wisps of energy chaotically spiraling around him as he stood there with a grin on his face. He turned over to one of the pillars of the church. "Cromwell, get out of here. I will handle these pests."

A figure with blond hair emerged from behind the pillar before he stared at Wardes. "I will want an explanation when this is over Wardes." He demanded before he raced out the doors.

Wardes then turned to Roxas, Louise, and Wales. They were all staring at him in fear and awe. It caused the man to laugh. "You like what you see? This is the power that was granted to me by a supporter of Reconquista." He said as he raised his hand and looked at the dark aura. "I have never felt so powerful in my life."

Questions were bombarding Roxas as he watched Wardes gloat in the power of darkness. How did he get control over the darkness? Since he got here, he had not seen one bit of darkness, but now Wardes was controlling it somehow. How?

Roxas grit his teeth as he summoned the Oathkeeper to his other hand. He turned to Wales and Louise, who were nearly trembling at the amount of power Wardes was displaying.

"Wales, Louise, get out of here. I will deal with this." He said.

Louise tore her gaze away from Wardes as she looked at her familiar. "What do you mean? How can you fight something like that?"

Roxas turned away from her as he faced his opponent. He got into his signature dual wielding stance. "It's not the first time."

Wales and Louise blinked a few times when they heard that, but now was not the time for questions. Wales stood from the ground and grasped Louise's arm, helping her to her feet. They then retreated to the far end of the church.

Wardes chuckled a bit at he pointed his staff at Roxas. "I will take great pleasure in killing you. After I am done with you, Wales is next, and then…" He said as he licked his lips. "Louise is all mine."

Roxas shook his head. "No. You will not touch them."

"We will see about that."

Wardes suddenly shot at Roxas with a newfound speed. Roxas raised his Keyblade and blocked and oncoming slash from Wardes, but his eyes widened drastically at the sudden increase in power. It didn't help that Roxas's whole body felt like a wet back of cement at the moment.

Grunting, Roxas pushed against Wardes before throwing him off. He then began his own onslaught of strikes, using both Keyblades to attack the man.

Wardes grinned as he felt the blows of the Keyblade. They were much easier to defend against with the power he had. He easily deflected all attacks before he rushed forward. He thrust his staff at Roxas, causing Roxas to spin around the weapon and attempt to hit Wardes in the side. However, Wardes leaped into the air, using his wind magic to fly. He looked down at Roxas with a chuckle.

"What's wrong Roxas? Too tired to continue?" he mocked as he pointed the staff at Roxas. He chanted another spell before a massive gust of wind erupted from the tip of the staff.

Roxas's eyes widened a bit as the darkness amplified the effects of the spell. Quickly, he raised his Oathkeeper. "AEROGA" He shouted.

The two spells collided with each other with such a devastating force that the concreate floor of the church began to crack. The windows exploded as the wind tried to escape the compacted area. Louise and Wales covered their heads as shards of glass flew in all directions.

Roxas grit his teeth as the wind dispersed before he raised his Oathkeeper, pointing it at Wales. "FIRA"

A Large fireball shot straight at Wardes, but he simply flew to the side to avoid it, letting the spell impact the ceiling of the church and blasting a whole straight through. He was about to laugh before he saw Roxas run toward the wall and kick against it to gain a bit of momentum.

Roxas shot straight at Wardes before swinging both his Keyblade. Wardes raised his own staff to block, but the impact of the strike sent his flying straight towards the ground. He quickly chanted another spell, catching himself before he slammed into the ground. Gently he floated to the ground, but Roxas didn't give him time to react.

"DUAL STRIKE RAIDE!" Roxas shouted as he whirled both the Oathkeeper and the Oblivion at Wardes. Wardes only had time to wave his staff, causing both weapons to smash into a barrier of wind. Roxas used light dash to shoot forward and snatch the Keyblades out of the air. He then threw them again at Wardes, this time, completely smashing through the barrier.

Wards was quick to move though as he leaped into the air again. He pointed his staff at Roxas before muttering a lengthy spell. Suddenly, arcs of electricity scaled down the side of the staff before a bolt of lightning shot from the tip directly at Roxas. The spell was infused with darkness, giving the lightening a darker hue.

Roxas looked up before his grit his teeth. He crossed his Keyblades in front of himself and braced for impact. The bolt hit him straight on and Roxas screamed a bit as he felt electricity course through his body. Luckily, the Keyblades absorbed most of the impact, but it was still a devastating blow. Roxas fell to his knees as he gasped in pain. Not only was he exhausted now, he was also in a massive amount of pain.

"ROXAS!" Louise shouted as she saw Roxas on his knees. Both she and Whales were watching in complete awe at the insane display of power between these two individuals. However, it looks like Wardes had the upper hand.

Wardes laughed as he floated down in front of him. "You fight well Roxas, but you cannot compare to this. There is nothing I have found that is more powerful."

Roxas panted as he looked up at the man. He pushed himself to his feet. "No. There is one thing that is more powerful than darkness."

Wardes grinned as he looked down at the boy. "Oh? And what is that?"

Suddenly, a light glow began to encompass Roxas. It was not nearly as dense as when he used Flowmotion, but it was still enough to get Wardes's attention.

"Light"

Roxas then swung his Oathkeeper. A pillar of light Shot down in front of him before it raced at Wardes. Wardes's eyes widened as he quickly jumped to the side to avoid the pillar, but Roxas swung again, causing another pillar of light to shoot straight at the man.

Wardes once again dodged, allowing the pillar to slam into the wall of the church, comply destroying it in the process. He then turned back to Roxas, who was panting, but that glow of light was still around him. The determination in his eyes was really starting to worry the square class mage.

"What is that?" Wardes demanded.

Roxas gave a small smile. Using the light pillars felt like he had an old friend back. "This is my power." Roxas said as he dashed at Wardes, preforming a series of strikes, each one releasing a pillar of light that shot at Wardes.

Wardes danced around the pillars, trying to stay clear of their devastating power. However, he could feel a bit of his dark powers dwindling every time he was near one of those pillars.

Roxas released another pillar that shot directly at Wardes, causing him to roll out of the way. Wardes was instantly on his feet before he turned to face Roxas again…but Roxas was nowhere to be found.

"Does this seem familiar Wardes?"

Wardes barely had time to turn around before another pillar of light ran straight into him. The force of the blow knocked him straight off his feet and sent him flying through the air. He roughly landed on his back before he coughed up a bit of blood.

Roxas was heaving now, using every ounce of energy he had to keep standing, but he was at his limit.

Wardes slowly sat up before he pushed himself to his feel. His eyes were wide and bloodshot with anger. How was Roxas still besting him, even when he had this much power? Wardes growled before he turned to Wales and Louise, who were still watching the fight in awe. Suddenly, a grin crossed his face.

"You know, whoever has the power of void will be able to rule this country." He started as he looked back at Roxas. "If I cannot have its power, then I will not allow any other nation have it. You may be able to fight me Roxas…But can she?" Wardes said as he raised an open palm at Louie.

Roxas's eyes widened as he realized what Wardes was going to do. "Wardes! DON'T!"

Wardes gave a sinister laugh before a condensed ball of darkness formed in his hand. A second later, the energy shot from his palm, heading straight for Louise.

Roxas watched helplessly as the ball of darkness headed for the girl. He was too exhausted to rush over there and save her, and he didn't have time to use the Corridor of Darkness.

Louise watched helplessly as the darkness shot at her. With each moment it grew closer, she could almost feel a bit of her soul leaving her, as if the darkness itself was trying to consume her. She closed her eyes, waiting for impact.

BAM

Louise still had her eyes shut, ready for the darkness to overtake her…But nothing happened. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Immediately, she wished he hadn't.

Standing in front of her, his arms stretched out protectively, was Price Wales. He had jumped in front of her to take the blow head on.

Prince Wales coughed once as particles of light began to emit off of his body. He looked up at Wardes, who was a bit shocked. Then he looked to Roxas, whose eyes were wide with horror. Just the look in his eyes was enough to tell Wales what was going to happen to him.

"P-Prince Wales! Why?" Louise said as tears started to roll down her cheek. More light began to emit off of his figure.

Slowly, Wales looked over his shoulder at the girl, a small smile on his face. "If it is true, and you are a void mage, then your life is worth even more than mine." He said before he looked up into the sky. "Forgive me…Henrietta." He whispered as he closed his eyes and slowly fell backwards.

Louise immediately stood and tried to catch him, but as soon as she touched his form, his entire body evaporated into particles of light. The only thing that remained was the Wind Ruby that fell to the through the air before landing on the ground with a soft ping.

Louise looked at her empty hands for a few seconds as more tears began to fall down her face. She collapsed on the ground before she gingerly picked up Wales's ring. Just looking at it, Louise realized one thing.

Wales was gone.

Immediately, she began to sob uncontrollably.

Wardes sneered before he looked over at Roxas. "It seems that I was able to accomplish one of my other goals and there was nothing you could do about it." He said as he got into his stance. "You are weak Roxas. Once I am done with you, there will be no one to stop me front taking Louise."

Roxas was overcome with shock at what just happened. Right in front of him, Wales had given his life for someone else. His very existence, gone.

 _Goodbye Roxas. See you again._

 _I'm glad…I got to meet you. Oh…and of course axel too. You're both my best friends._

 _Never forget._

 _That's the truth._

Roxas grit his teeth as a few tears escaped his eyes. Just like how she disappeared is his arms, Wales was now gone. Slowly, he turned his attention to Wardes before he slowly got into his stance.

Wardes grinned. "You are exhausted Roxas. There is nothing you can to do stop me. I will be the winner here. Louise is coming with me whether you like it or not."

"No." Roxas said through grit teeth. "She is not going anywhere. I am not losing anyone else. Not like I lost…" he said, his mind going back to watching that girl in his memory evaporate into particles of light in his arms.

"Not like I lost…" His mind then went to the top of twilight tower. He was sitting on the tower next to her. Slowly, she turned to face him, a smile crossing her lips.

"Xion."

Suddenly, Light erupted from around Roxas. The Oathkeeper vanished from his grip as he clenched the Oblivion with both hands.

Wardes watched, his smirk gone and his eyes wide.

Roxas faced Wardes before he suddenly shot forward. His speed was so fast now that Wardes didn't even have time to react.

"Event Horizon!"

Wards didn't know what happen as Roxas suddenly started his attack. The next thing he knew, he was being thrown around the room by an onslaught to attacks from Roxas. He tried to raise his staff in defense, but one quick slash from Roxas completely destroy his weapon. Pain erupted all over his body as he felt a multitude of bones break. The sheer power of these attacks was even breaking through the darkness that surrounded him.

Finally, with one quit movement, Roxas swung his Keyblade at Wardes, smashing him right in the chest and sending Wardes spiraling across the room. He crashed into the wall before he coughed up some blood. He looked up to see that Roxas had landed on the ground, but the aura was still covering his body.

Roxas raised his Keyblade once more before he brought it down. Immediately, four pillars of light appeared before they shot at Wardes. Wardes could only scream as they impacted him, completely destroying the wall of the church and sending the man flying through the air.

Roxas panted as the light suddenly faded from around him. He fell to the ground as his strength was now completely exhausted. He was on his hands and knees, gasping for breath. His vision was blurred from the sheer amount of fatigue.

Suddenly though, he heard the sound of someone else gasping for breath. Slowly, he looked up to see Wardes standing in the hole in the wall of the church. His face was strained in pain and he was grasping his right arm…Or where his right arm was supposed to be. The appendage was completely gone, and in its place was a bloody stump.

Wardes grit his teeth again as he fixed Roxas with a glare that was filled with so much hatred.

"You may have….Been able to defeat me in battle Roxas….But you realize that I have won this war." He said as he reached down and picked up his broken staff with his one remaining arm. "Wales is dead and I have the letter. Tristain is doomed and…it is all your fault." He said as he forced one more grin on his face. He then slammed his staff into the floor of the church.

Suddenly, a bright light emitted from the staff before the entire church began to crumble to the ground. Roxas could only watch helplessly as Wardes turned and departed, leaving both he and Louise at the mercy of the falling building.

"Roxas."

Roxas turned to see Louise standing there. The Wind Ruby in her hand. Her eyes were red from crying as she sat down next to him. "Why did Wardes do this?" She asked, even more tears started to cascade down her eyes.

Roxas shook his head as he looked up at the crumbling ceiling. "I don't know." He replied as he closed his eyes.

"LEVITATION!" two voices echoed. Roxas and Louise Suddenly found themselves surrounded by a sphere of energy before they were shot out of the top of the church. Roxas looked around before his eyes widened. Tabitha, Kirche, and Guiche were all standing there with their wands…Or in Guiche's case Rose…out.

Soon, they were lowered to the ground before the giant sphere dispersed. Kirche, Tabitha, and Guiche all approached.

"What happened in there?" Asked Kirche.

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows as Wardes's words played through his mind. As much as he didn't want to admit it. Wardes was right.

"We failed."

* * *

The stars were out and it was a chilly night as the entire group road on Sylphid's back. They were headed to the Castle in Tristain because they needed to report back to the princess on what had happened.

Roxas was exhausted, but his mind refused to sleep. Prince Wales was gone and the letter was taken. Tristan was on their own against the forces of Albion and it was his entire fault. If he would have just freed Matilda and taken care of Wardes before they even got to the church, then things would have been different.

This whole entire plan was one big mistake. He had endangered the lives of his friends all for the sake of one stupid letter.

Roxas looked around at the group that was riding Sylphid. Kirche was rambling on with Tabitha about something while Guiche and Louise where asleep. He needed to protect them. His friends where was mattered most to him. They were everything.

And now they would be going to war.

Roxas grit his teeth before he turned back to the starry sky. He was going to help Tristian win this war.

For the sake of his friends…

And for the sake of an existence he could not save.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Alright! There you go. This was a lot of fun to write and I hope you guys enjoyed it. I have plans for what happened to wales, but you will just have to wait and see.**

 **Anyway, how did I do? Did you like it? Hate it? Please leave a review with your thoughts. If there are errors, i am sorry. This was over 10K words. It is EXTREMELY difficult to find them all.**

 **School is alright for now, but it is going to get insane. I am glad I had time to write this. Things will be getting very interesting.**

 **I have been looking forward to writing next chapter. There won't be as much action, but the learning will be very important for Roxas. So I hope you look forward to it.**

 **Anyway, thanks again for reading. I will see you in the next chapter.**

 **Until then!**

 **P.S. To a nameless guest reviewer of chapter 12: I don't know where or how you interpreted my words like that, but no were in my ENTIRE story have I once said…or even implied that I was bummed about the amount of reviews I get. In fact, EVERY chapter I always say thanks for the support. I never expected to get so much attention in the first place. Please don't twist my words.**


	14. Chapter 14: Sadness and Joy

**Authors Note: Well, Next chapter up. It was a very interesting chapter to write if I don't say so myself. Not much action, but a lot of development for Roxas will happen, so it should be important.**

 **So guys, I was surprised by the sheer amount of whining about Wardes and Wales. A lot of you were like "U Killed Wales. NUUU!" or "Wardes should have died! Y U Stick to Canon?!" Guys seriously? If you don't like the story, don't read it. If you are upset with the decisions I make, that unfortunate. This is my fanfiction and if you don't like the direction it is taking, write your own.**

 **Anyway, there were also a lot of people that really appreciated the chapter. For those people, you have my thanks. Remember that this is something I do in my free time. It is not meant to be perfect. It is just something that is fun to write and helps me improve.**

 **Anyway, thank you for 400+ reviews. That is unbelievable! I never thought that so many people would like my story. It is a great motivation to keep at it and produce stuff for you all to enjoy. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. It means a lot.**

 **And one last thing. Last chapter, I made a huge Durp. I knew that Albion was a floating continent, however the reason I though the church was located on the ground was because of how the anime portaged Saito and Guiche arriving on time to save Louise. They just popped out of the ground like a naked mole-rat. So my thoughts was that it was located on the ground, however a patient reviewer explained what really happened and how the light novel explained it better. So yeah, my bad, it would take more than just Flowmotion to get to Albion. It is not a very hard change, and I will change it soon. So my apologies. Speaking of Flowmotion, KH3 is actually calling it attraction flow so Sora can use it in the real world.**

 **Anyway, please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: Spelling, you know the drill.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 14

It was a very comfortable evening and the sun was setting in the distance, casting a vibrant glow across the Tristain academy of magic. The best place to watch the magnificent sight was on top of the academy itself, though only a few people could actually make it up there.

Currently, Roxas was sitting on the edge of the tower, though he was not paying any mind to the sunset. He had his knees pulled up to his chest, his head buried in his arms as they rested upon them. His mind was lost in thought.

It had been a few days since the incident with Wardes and Wales. Roxas could not get the image of Henrietta crying on Louise's shoulder when she got the news about the deceased prince. It only added to the guilt that Roxas was felling currently as he sat on the academy tower. Only one thought passed through his mind as he watched her crying.

It was all his fault.

If he would have acted sooner, the prince might have lived. If he took out Wardes before he even left the port, then things would have gone differently.

But there was no way to undo this mistake. Wales was gone, the letter was taken, and any hope that Tristain would have an ally in this war crumbled to the ground.

And it was entirely his fault.

The wind gently caressed Roxas's back as he heard the faint sound of wings flapping against the air. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. They would usually come up to the tower around this time of day anyway. Soon, he heard a soft thump on the floor behind him, signifying that his new guests had just landed.

Tabitha calmly jumped off of Sylphid's back when Sylphid gracefully landed on the roof of the academy. She looked over to the edge to see Roxas sitting there…again. Her eyebrows scrunched a little as she witnessed the state he was in.

For the past few days, he had been unusually quiet. He didn't really respond to any questions asked, nor did he even react when Kirche would playfully try and seduce him. Each evening, she would find him here, in the exact same position.

Sylphid cooed once before she began to emit a bright light. It was seconds later that Irukukwu appeared, completely naked. She didn't seem to pay any heed to it though as she looked at Roxas in pity.

Tabitha looked over at her familiar before she gave a small sigh. She pulled out a cloak before she handed it to Irukukwu. "Wear it."

"Kyu! But they are so uncomfortable!" Sylphid whined.

"Irukukwu." Tabitha said firmly as she held it out to her.

"Fine!" the Rhyme dragon said as she snatched up the cloak and threw it over her body. She then turned her attention back to Roxas, who had not reacted at all from the little interaction. "You think Roxas is ok?"

Tabitha shook her head as she walked up behind the nobody.

"Roxas." She said softly.

Roxas gently lifted his head from his arms as he looked over his shoulder. He saw Tabitha and Irukukwu standing there, a worried look in their eyes.

"Hey Tabitha, Irukukwu." He responded before he turned his attention back to the sunset.

Tabitha walked up next to him before she sat down, Irukukwu doing the same on his other side. Tabitha then glanced at his face to see the far-away look in his eyes.

"It's not your fault Roxas." She said softly.

"Yes it is." Roxas responded as he bit his lip. "I could have stopped him earlier Tabitha, but I didn't."

"You didn't know he had that kind of power."

"It doesn't matter. Wales is gone and Tristain is at war without an ally. That fact doesn't change." Roxas said as he clenched his teeth.

Tabitha scrunched her eyebrows a bit more as she saw the pain and guilt in his eyes. Irukukwu did the same. The Rhyme desperately wanted to do something that would help him feel better, but what could she say in this situation? She didn't have much experience with this either.

"Y-You know…" Roxas said, with a slightly cracked voice. "When the water spirit said I had a heart, I was so glad that I had the chance to be my own person."

Tabitha blinked a few time, obviously confused by his statement, but decided to just let him talk. If she knew anything about Roxas, it was that there was a lot about him that was difficult to understand.

Roxas continued. "People like me; we wanted nothing more than to be our own person. To actually exist, to have hearts…and to feel." He said as he looked over at Tabitha, tears were starting to leak from his deep blue eyes. "I was so glad I had the chance to learn how to feel, to understand what these feeling actually mean…" he sniffed a bit as he looked back toward the sunset. "I never thought that feelings could hurt like this as well. Along with the happiness and joy, there is also hurt, guilt, and pain. Why do we have feeling like this? Why does it have to hurt so much?" Roxas finished as he looked over at Tabitha again, tears streaming down his face.

Tabitha paused as she looked into his eyes. He was feeling a lot of guilt and it looked like he didn't know how to deal with it. She saw him tear his eyes away from her as he glanced back at the sunset.

Irukukwu bit the inside of her cheek as she heard him talk. She was also a bit confused as to what he was talking about, but she could tell he was hurting. She didn't like it when her friends were hurting like this. She really wanted to do something to help him, but what?

Roxas let tears flow down his face as the feelings of guilt began to overcome him. He had felt…hurt before when Xion had passed away. He remembered that much about the mysterious girl. But when Wales passed, that was because of what he did. It wasn't just hurt he was feeling now, but guilt as well. He really didn't know how to deal with this kind of pain.

Suddenly, Roxas felt two arms wrap around his head before he was gently pulled into a soft hug. The side of his face was resting against Tabitha's chest as he listened to her steady heartbeat. He glanced up to see Tabitha kneeling next to him, her arm pulling him close as she softly stroked his hair with her fingers.

It didn't stop there; he then felt a pair of different arms wrap around his left arm before a head rested on his shoulder. He looked to his left to see Irukukwu there, tightly grasping his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"Roxas." Tabitha whispered, causing him to look up at her. "It will be ok."

Roxas clenched his eyes as he felt more tears threaten to escape. It may have been just a simple gesture, but just being there for him, Tabitha and Irukukwu had done something for Roxas that he will never forget.

* * *

It was the next day and Louise was standing in front of Roxas with her hands on her hips. Roxas was sitting next to the pile of hay, his head resting against the wall as his eyes were closed.

"You need to stop this Roxas." She said sternly.

Roxas grunted as he looked up into her eyes. Truthfully, Tabitha and Irukukwu had helped a great deal last night, but the feeling of guilt was still there. "What do you want from me?"

Louise sighed as she sat down at the table. "Listen, I know this is hard on you, but you are not the only one that is affected by this." She said, her gaze dropping a bit as she stared at the ground. Truthfully, it still hurt, knowing that Wardes had betrayed Tristain. "You need to get over it! You are completely useless the way you are now. I cannot have my familiar acting in such a manner."

Roxas looked up at her, his eye s narrowed a bit. "How do just I get over it? How would you feel if you were the reason that someone's existence was erased? How would you feel if it was your fault an entire country was is going to war without an ally? Huh? Tell me? How am I supposed to just get over it?"

Louise bit her lip a bit. She really didn't know how to answer that question. Truthfully, she never thought about it like that before. Did he really believe that this was all his fault?

"You just do. I have to deal with the fact that Wales gave his life to protect mine." She said as she scrunched her eyebrows. She turned her gaze away from him and looked out the window. "All because Wardes thought I was a void mage."

"And he was put in that position because of me."

Louise growled as she stood on her feet. "Stop that this instant!" She nearly yelled. "I am tired of you moping around. If you can't pull yourself together, I suggest you leave!"

Roxas narrowed his eyes a bit as he stood from his feet. "If you want me gone, fine." He said as he turned and walked through the door, slamming it behind him as he left.

Roxas browsed around the academy. Usually, he would have spent his time with Sylphid, but she nowhere in sight, so that must have means she and Tabitha were busy at the moment. His second option was to hang around with the kitchen staff. They were always fun to talk to and they seemed to enjoy his company as well. Not to mention Siesta might be there with them. If there was anyone that could help him feel better, it was the bubbly maid.

As he made his way to the kitchen, Roxas had to wonder if this was what Hercules felt like after the incident with the hydra. He remembered that the demigod was depressed for the longest time before he eventually got over it…

Roxas stopped walked as he pondered that thought. "How did Hercules get over it? How did he overcome the guilt he felt from leaving those people to die?" Roxas asked himself.

"Roxas!"

Roxas blinked a few times before he turned around. He gave a small smile when he saw a familiar face running in his direction. He was just thinking of the happy maid just a few moments ago. However, there was something a little different about her this time. She was wearing different cloths than the usual maid outfit.

"Hey Siesta." He said as she walked up to him. "You're dressed differently today."

"Yeah. I am taking my summer vacation, so I am going back home for a while." She said happily.

Roxas gave her a small smile. "Visiting your family?"

"Yep! I miss them a lot. We only get to send letters back and forth while I am here. I am really excited to see them again."

"Well that's good for you. I hope you enjoy your…Summer vacation." He said softly as a small memory played through his mind.

 _Sora, you're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is…over."_

Roxas gave a small sigh as he turned away from Siesta and continued to make his way to the kitchen.

Siesta scrunched her eyebrows a bit as she watched him walk away. She was not blind to how he was feeling. After seeing him like this for a couple of days, she finally managed to pry out what was wrong. He was a little reluctant to share at first, but eventually he had told her everything about the earlier incident with Wards and Whales. After learning about it, she could understand why he felt so guilty about what had happened.

Still…

It really hurt to see him like this. She needed to do something to help him. But what? She didn't know how to handle something like this. What could she say…or do, that would make any difference?

Siesta blinked a few times as an idea popped into her head. She may not be able to do something about how he was feeling, but she knew someone who might. It was worth a try and if there was a chance that it would make Roxas feel better, she wanted to take it.

"Roxas!" she called out, causing him to stop and turn towards her. A blush crossed her face a bit as she avoided his gaze. She fidgeted a little as she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Umm, if you would like, I bet my family would be very happy to meet you. Would you like to…come with me?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he thought about her question. Truthfully, he had never really had much experience with a family before. True, there was Haner, Pence, and Olette, but he never really got to meet there parents or family. What would it be like?

"You know what?" Roxas started, his expression turning to one of curiosity. "I think I could use a vacation as well. Are you sure it would be ok if I came with you?"

Siesta gave a large smile as she walked up to him, clasping his hand with her own. "I know my parents would love to meet you!" she said, an excited smile on her face. "Will Louise mind if you come."

"I really don't care at the moment what she has to say about it."

* * *

It was hours later…and a long and uncomfortable horseback ride before Roxas and Siesta were standing on the hillside overlooking the small village of Tarbes. From what Roxas could see, it was a humble community that lived in a very gorgeous spot. It was surrounded by luscious green forests and beautiful rivers. A lot of the people were working in the fields, but the entire atmosphere was one of happiness and contentment.

"This looks like it is a nice place." Roxas said as he absorbed the view from the hillside.

"It really is. I grew up in this small town. The people are really friendly and the nobles don't bother us much." Siesta said as she inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. "It is really nice to be home again."

Roxas looked over at her with a smile. "It looks like you're really happy."

"I am!" siesta said as she wrapped both her arms around his right arm and began to tug him down the hill. "Come on! I want you to meet my family." She said, excitement written all over her face.

Roxas could not help but smile as he allowed her to drag him through the dusty roads of the small town. He noticed that most of the people would stop and wave as Siesta would pass by, causing her to smile and wave back at them. Even a few of them would stop her along the way and wrap her in a hug, for which she would happily return.

"You seem to know a lot of people around here." Roxas noted.

Siesta nodded as she waved to other elderly woman. "Everyone in this community is very familiar with each other. There are not many people I don't know that live in Tarbes." She said as she dragged him down the street.

Roxas noticed that people were shooting him curios glances as well. When most of them noticed the way Siesta was dragging him through the town, Roxas earned a fair amount of glares form the male population.

"Siesta?"

"Hmm?" Siesta responded as she looked up at him.

"Why are they glaring at me?" Roxas asked as he pointed to a group of boys that were staring at the duo.

Instantly, the smile vanished from Siesta's face as she gave a sigh. "You don't have to worry about them Roxas. They bark loud, but they usually don't bite."

Roxas blinked a few times. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Siesta gave another small sigh as she avoided eye-contact with the group. "Most of them have asked my father for permission to marry me, but he refused them all, saying that it was my choice." She said as she looked back at the group of boys. "They are persistent though."

"They asked your father for permission?"

Siesta nodded. "Yeah, but I am not interested in any of them. I can tell that they only care about…certain aspects of me." She said as she glanced down at her sizeable chest.

"Certain…aspect?" Roxas asked, his eyebrow raised.

Siesta laughed a bit as she playfully slapped his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We are almost to my house. I am very excited for you to meet my family."

"You know…" Roxas started as he saw how excited Siesta was. "I am as well."

It wasn't long before Roxas found himself standing in front of a decent sized house. It was not nearly as large as Mott's mansion, but it had a much better feel to it. It was a log house that looked cozy. Siesta was about to open the door before a sound from inside the house halted her. Roxas heard it as well, and it caused his eyebrows to rise into his hairline. He recognized the unique voice anywhere.

"Tres Bien~"

Siesta has a surprised, but ecstatic look on her face. She turned to Roxas, whose face also supported a surprised look. "It sounds like my uncle came to visit again. He is very flamboyant but has a very big heart, so please don't mind him." she said before she turned back to the door and pushed it open. The first thing she saw was a very muscular man that was wearing clothing that was typically made for women. He was sitting at the table with a few other people that she easily recognized.

"OH! Siesta~" The man said as he rose from the table and pranced over to the girl, wrapping her in a bone crushing hug.

"Uncle Scarron? Is it good to see you, what are you doing here?" Siesta asked as she eagerly hugged him back.

"NOOO~" he exclaimed as he flailed about. "Call me Mi Mademoiselle~" he said before he smiled down at Siesta "Oh, we made so much money recently that we all decided to take a break and visit our families for the summer. The inn is closed right now~" he said as he waved his arms around dramatically.

Siesta's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "You did? Has the inn really been that busy?"

"Busy? Yes. But that not the main reason we made so much money." Said a new voice from the table.

Siesta turned to see three other very familiar faces. Her eyes widened as a large smile crossed her face. "Jessica! Amy! And even Ellie!" she exclaimed.

"Siesta!" Ellie cried out in excitement as she jumped away from the table. She sprinted over to Siesta before leaping up and wrapping her little arms around her neck. "It's been so long since I've seen you. You never visit the inn anymore!"

Siesta wrapped her arms around the little girl before spinning around, causing Ellie to squeal in delight. "I'm sorry. I've just been so busy with my job at the academy. It's hard to take time off to see everyone."

"Well, we are lucky we decided to come with Scarron." Amy said as she and Jessica rose from the table. "After a couple of close calls with nobles recently, my mother decided that we needed a vacation as well, so Scarron was nice enough to let us come with him to see Tarbes."

Siesta blinked a few times as she gently placed Ellie on the ground. "Close calls? What happened?"

Amy ground her teeth a bit as her eyes narrowed. "Let's just say that the nobles around Tristania were even more disgusting than we first thought."

"Why? What happened?"

Suddenly, Ellie looked to the ground as she bit her lower lip. "I don't want to talk about it."

Siesta blinked a few times as she looked down at the little girl. "It happened to you?"

Ellie nodded before she looked back up at siesta. Though, suddenly, she noticed someone standing behind her. Looking around the girl, Ellie's eyes widened when she saw someone extremely familiar. Immediately, she pointed a shaky finger at him.

"R-R-"

Siesta blinked before she turned around to see that Roxas was just watching the entire scene, his eyes just a bit wider than before. She nearly laughed at herself for forgetting he was there. Turning back to Scarron, Amy, Jessica, and Ellie, she gestured to him. "Everyone, I would like you to meet-"

"ROXAS!" Ellie shouted before she maneuvered past Siesta and jumped. Being a little use to this by now, Roxas extended his arms and caught the girl, steadying himself so he didn't fall over. He once again felt a little short of breath when Ellie constricted her arms around his neck.

"Roxas?" Both Amy and Jessica asked at the same time as they peaked around Siesta.

"Well, what do you know? It is Roxas!" Jessica said as a wide smile crossed her features. She and Amy walked around the stunned Siesta before they stood in front of the breathless boy.

"Ellie! Not so tight!" Roxas said as he patted the girl on the back.

"You're here! What are you doing here...Not that I'm not glad to see you." Ellie said as she pulled away a bit and looked into his eyes.

"I am actually kind of curious as well." Amy said as she walked up to him. She reached up and gently grabbed Ellie by the waist before attempting to pull her away. However, As soon as Ellie felt herself being tugged, she latched on again like a snake.

"No!"

"Give the man some breathing room Ellie." Amy laughed as she saw Roxas go a bit blue from lack of air. "It seems that she missed you a lot."

"I wasn't gone for that long." Roxas said as he reached up and tried to peal the girl off of him. It took a few seconds before he was able to remove her, almost like trying to take off a piece of duct tape. Ellie puffed her cheeks out as she rested her hands on her hips. Roxas laughed as he ruffled her hair again, causing her to squeak and playfully slap his hand away.

"So," Jessica started as she sauntered over to him and slung and arm around his neck. "Any particular reason you are visiting Tarbes?"

Siesta, who was watching the entire scene unfold in complete shock, finally regained her bearing. "Umm, he came with me…Uhh, how do you all know each other?" she asked as she pointed at the three of them.

Jessica looked between Roxas and Siesta a few times. "He came with you? How do you know…" she started before the gears began to turn in her mind. "Of course. He is Louise's familiar and she attends the academy of magic, right? That's how you two know each other?"

Siesta nodded. "Yeah. But how do you know him?"

Suddenly, Jessica and Amy looked at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing. Siesta looked at them in confusion before they eventually calmed down.

"Well…*Snicker* Louise had a mission from the princess, and she tried to pose as a waitress at the Charming fairy inn." Amy started, before she broke out in a fit of giggles.

"Yeah…*laugh* you should have seen it Siesta. She would slap the customers, pour whine on them, and yelled at a few. It was funny at first, but it was even funnier when we learned she was a noble." Jessica finished as she tried to catch her breath.

Siesta blinked a few times as she pondered this new information. She knew that Roxas had gone on a few missions, but he never really disclosed much information about them. So this was one of his missions?...and Louise had to…

Suddenly, and image of Louise dressed in one of those charming fairy outfit popped into her head. Her eyes widened a bit before he immediately brought her hand up to her mouth in an attempts to conceal her giggles. However, her attempts were futile because she also found herself laughing. She could not believe that someone as prideful as Louise would do something like that.

"And…And Roxas said she was his little sister!" Jessica continued as she leaned on Amy for support. "I don't know how I fell for that. They don't look anything alike."

"That's because you're an idiot! What happen? Did the rest of your tiny brain get absorbed into those boobs of yours?" Amy jabbed.

"Shut it! You didn't realize it either until later!" Jessica retorted.

"Now Now ladies~" Scarron said as he raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Let's not fight right now. We are all together and we need to get along.

Siesta finally stopped laughing as she looked over at Jessica and Amy. It looked like there were arcs of lighting shooting between their eyes. They had not changed that much, still rivals in everything that they did. "That sounds like a very interesting story."

"Oh I bet it is." Said a voice from the doorway. Everyone turned around to see a very tall and muscular man standing in the doorway with a hoe over his shoulder. He was wearing a pair of blue overalls and a red flannel button up shirt. He had jet black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He walked into the house before he leaned his hoe against the door frame. "The sound of my children laughing is music to my ears." He said as he turned to Siesta, his arms outstretched. "Siesta, come here and give your father a hug!"

Siesta beamed before she immediately rushed over to her father and threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up and whirled her around, causing her to laugh in delight. "How is my eldest daughter doing!" he boomed.

"I am doing well father." Siesta said as he gently placed her down. "How is mother? How is the rest of the family?"

He gave a deep chuckle. "We are doing well. Everyone else should be back soon since they heard you were coming home for a visit. They are very eager to see you again." He said as he ruffled her hair. He then turned to Roxas. "And it seems you brought a friend with you. My name is Richard. May I ask your name?" He asked with his hand outstretched.

Roxas blinked a few times as he stared at the hand. He quickly smiled as he reached out and gave a firm handshake. "My name is Roxas."

Richard chuckled again as he released his hand. "You have a firm grip young one. I like you already."

"Thanks." Roxas said as he looked between Richard and Siesta a few times. So this was her father? Seeing the interaction between them caused a warm feeling to arise in his heart. It was nice; however, there was another emotion he felt that he didn't really know how to interpret.

Siesta cleared her throat, catching her father's attention. "Father, can I talk to you about something…alone?" she asked.

"Of course darling." Richard said with a smile.

Siesta nodded as she turned to Roxas. "I won't be long. Just hang here with everyone for a few moments. I will be back."

Immediately, both of Roxas's arms were captured by Jessica and Amy. "Don't worry Siesta, he is in good hands." Jessica said with a grin.

Siesta's eyebrow twitched a bit in annoyance, but she ignored it as she and her father retreated into the back room.

* * *

It didn't take long before the evening came round. People started filing into the house like this was the only place to live in the entire town. He stayed near Jessica and Amy as they introduced him to 7 other siblings along with Siesta's mother. When Roxas extended his hand for a handshake, she completely ignored it, going straight for the hug, which really surprised the nobody. He kind of awkwardly patted her back, not really knowing what to do in this situation. Usually, people hugged him when they at least knew him for a little bit. Siesta's mother, who was named Rachel, immediately beamed, saying that she was so proud that her darling daughter brought home a man…Whatever that meant.

The next instant, Siesta came rushing out of the room, her face beat red as she quickly ushered her mother away.

"Roxas, please ignore her. My mother is out of her mind."

"Ohh, Siesta is embarrassed!" One of the younger brothers said.

"Quiet!" She snapped before a smile crossed her face. "It's good to be home."

* * *

It was just a few moment later that they were all sitting around a large table, eating dinner. Roxas had to admit, Siesta's mother was a mean cook. He could really see where Siesta got her talents. The dinner table was full of laughter, as well as a few squabbles between the children. Most of the kids were talking with Siesta, telling her all about what had happened around Tarbes while she was gone. Siesta would listen and also shared some of her adventures in the academy.

Roxas quietly ate his food as he listened to them all talk. For some reason, he just felt a little out of place in this environment. What was he supposed to do? He had never really been a part of a family dinner before…or even in a family atmosphere, so what was he supposed to say?

"So Roxas."

Roxas blinked before he looked across the table at Richard. He quickly swallowed a spoonful of soup before he cleared his throat.

"Yes?"

"You are being very quiet over there."

Roxas paused again, not really knowing what to say. "Um...I am not really used to…This" he said as he gestured to…everything.

"Yeah, I guess it is a bit noisy. But the more the merrier I say." He said before his expression turned serious. The atmosphere suddenly changed with his expression and the entire family seemed to notice. "My daughter explained what happened with Count Mott. Roxas…" he said as his teeth ground together and his hands firmly clenched the side of the table so hard that the wood creaked under the pressure. "You will never understand how grateful I am that you protected her. My family means the life to me. Just the thought of one of my precious children going through that…If Count Mott were not already taken care of, I don't think anything would have stopped me from storming his estate. So thank you."

Roxas felt a little awkward as all eyes were on him now. "Siesta is a friend. I will protect her." He said as he felt a little rage at the mention of Count Mott's name.

"I am glad to hear she had such good friends." He said as he took a deep breath. The atmosphere suddenly lightened up as he gave a soft smile.

"H-H-Hold on a second!" Jessica piped up. "That story you told us? About how you defeated Count Mott. Siesta was the one you were trying to save?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Roxas turned to her before nodding.

"Oh, holy Brimir." She replied as she ground her teeth. "Uncle Richard is right. If I had known that, I don't think even a prison would have been enough to keep Mott safe.

Siesta trembled a bit at the memories before she turned to Jessica. "Well, what about you? What happened with Roxas's and Louise's mission?"

Jessica bit her lower lip as she looked over at Ellie. Ellie glanced at her before she looked over at Roxas. She then gave a small nod. "It's both a good and a bad story."

"STORY!" most of the younger kids in the room instantly focused their attention on Jessica.

"Yes, I won't give all the details, but it all started when Roxas walked into the inn with his…" Jessica paused as she gave air quotes. "So called sister, Louise."

* * *

Roxas had to admit, he really did enjoy meeting all of these people. It was even a bigger surprise to see Amy, Jessica, Scarron, and Ellie on this trip. It really did help a lot with how he was feeling, and for a moment he completely forgot about feeling guilty. It was quite the coincidence that Siesta was related to Jessica and Scarron.

After dinner was finished, all of the kids gathered together to hear the rest of the story from Jessica and Amy. Of course they left out the more gruesome details, but they sure did exaggerate how the fight went. Roxas remembered it being a lot shorter, but they portrayed him as fighting nearly 50 people in order to keep them all safe. All the kid's eyes were wide as they listened to the tale. Roxas would occasionally catch one of the children glancing at him before returning their attention to Jessica.

Siesta was also listening to the story. She knew her cousin could exaggerate things, but she also sensed that something was left out of the story. If it was anything like what she went though, she could understand why. After she saw how reluctant Ellie was about letting Amy and Jessica share the story, she knew something else had happened.

Finally, after the story finished, the kids were cheering and asking for more stories.

Jessica laughed as she turned her attention to Siesta. "What about you? What really happened at the estate?" She asked as she shot a grin at Roxas. "Roxas is probably the worst storyteller in the world, so I want to hear it from you. How did Roxas save you?"

Siesta bit her lip a little, but decided to share, making sure to keep the more graphic details out of the story.

Roxas on the other hand decided that he wanted some fresh air. He had never been surrounded by so many people before and he felt like he needed a break. He skillfully sneaked out of the house before exiting through the door. The streets were empty now, everyone having retreated back into their houses for the night. It looked like the sun was about to set again, and the air was crisp, leaving a pleasant feeling against this skin. This small town was really peaceful. No heartless, no nobody's, no Louise to constantly yell at him for no reason. It was just him and the pleasant sound of leaves rustling against the wind.

He continued to walk as he enjoyed the scenery. The sunset was gently resting on the horizon and it just beckoned him to watch, so Roxas found himself a grassy hill before he sat himself down to enjoy it.

As he watched the vibrant glow of the sun slowly retreating behind the mountains, he could not help bur reminisce again at the times he spent with Axel and Xion on the tower. Though it was still a little fuzzy, he could see her sitting there beside him as the three of them ate sea-salt ice cream. She would laugh at his and axels stories while they would lightly banter back and forth.

Still, it was difficult to remember. He had to concentrate on a specific memory at a time if he wanted to know what happened. But just like the water spirit said, the more he thought about her, the more he would remember. But why was he struggling so much to remember her in the first place?

"Xion, why don't I remember you that well? What happened to you?" he asked out loud.

"Who's Xion?"

Roxas jumped a little before he quickly turned to see Richard standing there with a smile on his face. He gave a small sigh of relief before he turned back to the sunset. "I wish I knew."

Richard gave him a curious glance before he walked up and sat on the ground next to him. "The sunset is especially beautiful in the town."

"Yeah, it is."

There was a comfortable silence between the two before Richard turned to Roxas. "Roxas, my daughter told me that you have had it rough recently. Do you want to talk about it?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked up at the older man. He then turned back to the sunset, the feeling of guilt slowly returning to him. "Even if I did tell you, it really won't change anything."

"True, but talking to someone can help you feel better about it."

Roxas looked over at the man again. Richard had a soft smile of his face while he waited patiently. Roxas had to admit, he was tired of the constant feeling of guilt that was eating him alive. Maybe if he did talk to someone, it would help.

"Well…" Roxas started. "I made a mistake. A mistake that got a person killed. If I would have acted sooner, he would still be alive. I…I can't get the image of him passing away out of my mind. I can't rid myself of the thoughts of what would have happened if I had acted sooner." Roxas tried to keep the tears from coming as he swallowed the lump in the throat.

Richard listened carefully before he saw how much pain Roxas was in. He could see that he truly felt guilty for what happened. And he really did blame himself for what happened to this person. Even though it really didn't seem like it was his fault, Richard knew that saying something like that would do absolutely nothing for the boy.

"It hurts, knowing that I could have prevented it. Knowing that if I made the right decision, he would still is alive."

Richard nodded before a small smile crossed his features. "Roxas, let me tell you a little something about mistakes." He started, causing Roxas to look at him. "Making mistakes just proves your human."

Roxas blinked a few times as he felt his mouth drop open. To him, that sentence meant a lot more than Richard was intending. To Roxas, that sentence said that Mistakes proves he is a somebody.

"But, why?" Roxas asked, completely bewildered.

Richard chuckled a bit. "I am getting old Roxas and I am far from perfect. I have made so many mistakes in my life, so many choices that I wish I could change, so many things I wish I would have done, but that's just part of life." He said as his expression turned serious. "Understand this. No matter how hard you try, no matter what choices you make, no matter what you decide to do, there will always be times when you make the wrong decision."

Roxas gave a sigh as he looked to the ground. "That is not very encouraging."

"No, it's not. But you also have to understand that we learn the most from the mistakes we make." Richard said, causing Roxas to look at him again. "With every choice, there comes a conscience, either good or bad. Consequences are how we learn and glow stronger in this lifetime. Sometimes, Consequences causes us to feel sad, hurt…or even guilty."

"Why? Why do we have to feel this way?"

"I am going to make one thing clear Roxas. You have to understand hurt and despair in order to fully appreciate joy and happiness."

Roxas blinked a few times as he processed this new information. "So, the reason why we have these painful emotions is so we can truly appreciate when good things that happen?"

"That is a big reason, yes. If nothing ever bad happened to you, would you truly know what happiness is? It's like a fish. A fish is constantly surrounded by water, so does it really know that the water is there? Or does it finally realize that when you pull it out of the sea? You have to experience sadness in order to know joy. That is all part of life."

Roxas sat there and pondered everything he had just learned. He had never really thought about it like that.

But…

"Then what am I supposed to do? How can I get over the guilt I am feeling?"

Richard chuckled a bit. "There are a couple kinds of people out there Roxas. Those who wait and those who act. If you are feeling guilty about what you have done, you can either allow it to eat you away until you fall into despair, or you can act. You can learn from the mistakes you make and allow them to help you grow as a person. You can allow them to make you stronger."

Roxas suddenly gasped as he remembered something. It was when Hercules was feeling down on himself about what happened with the hydra. What Richard was saying made sense when it applied to the demigod. When Hercules was just sitting there doing nothing, his despair and guilt never went away. It was not until he acted that the guilt finally left him, that he realized he was still a hero despite his mistakes.

Slowly, as the conversation progressed, Roxas could feel the weight of his mistakes slowly lifting off his shoulders. It nearly caused him to choke up a bit.

"What you're saying makes since." Roxas said as he looked up at Richard. "How do you know these things?"

Richard let out a booming laugh as he roughly slapped Roxas on the shoulder. "Roxas, I have raised eight children. You are not the first to ask these kinds of questions. What kind of father would I be if I could not comfort my own children when they are guilty about mistakes? It all comes with experience."

Roxas laughed as he realized the man was right. Experience was one thing that Roxas severely lacked in the emotional department.

"I have been around for a while. I have experience a lot more about life than you have. The best way to truly learn about these things, you have to learn by experience."

"I have heard that before." Roxas said as he gave a small laugh. He looked up at the burly man. "Thank you. You were right. I really did need someone to talk to."

"Anytime. You are like a member of the family now. If you do ever need to talk, I will always be willing to give advice."

Roxas felt himself choke up a bit more when Richard said that. He really never experienced what it was like to have a father…Someone that would be there for him and give him advice when he was down. He was used to dealing with everything by himself.

But…

Even he had his limit in that department. He learned the hard way that he needed people…and they needed him as well.

"Well, I am going to let you think this over. It's getting late and I need to get to bed soon. We have prepared a spare room for you." He said as he chuckled. "Amy and Jessica squabbled a bit at having to share the same room, but they really care for each other deep down."

"Thank you." Roxas said as he turned his attention towards the sunset.

Richard chuckled again as he ruffled Roxas's hair. He stood up before departing down the dusty road. Roxas watched as he disappeared into the distance. Richard was right on the money about letting Roxas think it over. There was so much going on in his head that he didn't even have the time to feel guilty about Wales. He had just learned so much that it was causing him a slight headache.

But his talk with Richard really opened his eyes to the meaning of emotions. There was bad, as well as good. Just as there is light and darkness. Once cannot exist without the other.

Roxas nodded as he stood from his spot. He was not going to be the one that waits around. He was going to act…To try and find a way to help Tristan win this war. And to somehow rectify what he allowed to happen to Wales.

* * *

It was later that night that Roxas found the spare bedroom where he would sleep for the night. It was late, so most of the kids had already gone to bed. Roxas had to admit, he really needed this sleep after all the thinking he had done for the day.

Removing his coat, gloves, and shoes, Roxas sat at the edge of the bed. He felt the soft mattress under his palm and could not help but smile. It was soft…Much softer than sleeping on the floor in Louise's room. He maneuvered until he was lying on his back. Instantly, a wave of tiredness cascaded over him, causing him to almost fall asleep.

 _Knock Knock_

Roxas blinked as he turned his head towards the door. He raised an eyebrow before he rose from the bed and walked over to it. Gently, he opened the door.

* * *

Siesta was sneaking down the dark hallway in here pajamas. Ever since that first night that she had shared a bed with Roxas, she was almost ashamed to admit it, but she wanted to do it again. The feeling of curling up next to him as he had his arm around her…It made her feel safe. And now was the perfect opportunity.

The floor quietly creaked as she waked though the darkness to where his room was. She was about to round a corner when a voice stopped her.

"You are a little late Siesta."

Siesta gasped as she turned around to see Jessica standing there, leaning against the wall of the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" Siesta whispered, though throwing a small glare at her.

"I could ask you the same question."

"Well-I-Umm" Siesta fumbled, causing Jessica to laugh quietly.

"Save your breath Siesta. We both know why you're here. You like him don't you?"

Siesta felt her face grow hot as she looked away from her cousin. "No! I mean yes…I mean… we...I just wanted to… Just to sleep." She stuttered.

Jessica was trying hard not to burst out laughing. "You're so cute. You were just going to sleep huh? Is that as far as you have gotten with him?"

"Stop laughing at me." Siesta hissed. "I mean, we have already…Kissed…Sort of."

"Sort of?"

Siesta blushed again in embarrassment.

"He was asleep, wasn't he?"

Siesta face went another shade of red, giving Jessica her answer. She snickered again. "Seriously Cousin? If you don't act fast, someone is going to take him from you."

Siesta growled before she raised her eyebrow. "What are you doing out here?"

Jessica laughed before she gestured to around the corner. Both she and Siesta took a peak.

* * *

"Ellie?" Roxas asked as he saw the little girl standing in his doorway, hugging a pillow to her chest. It was really dark in the hallway, but he could vaguely see her. "What are you doing here? It's late."

Ellie buried her head in her pillow for a few seconds before she looked up at him. "Umm, I…I was wondering…" she started before she buried her face in her pillow again, obviously too embarrassed to ask her question.

Roxas frowned before he moved out of the way. "Do you want to come in? Is there something you need to ask me?"

Ellie quickly made her way in the room before Roxas closed the door after her. He saw her walk over to his bed before she sat on the edge of it, her pillow still clutched to her chest as she looked up at him.

"What wrong Ellie?" Roxas asked as he sat down next to her.

"Nothing's wrong." She said as she buried her face in her pillow again. She spoke, but it only came out as a muffled noise.

"What?"

Slowly, Ellie looked up from her pillow, though still not looking into his eyes. "I was wondering if…if I could stay here tonight?" She asked before she quickly buried her head back onto her pillow, her face red from embarrassment.

Roxas raised his eyebrow at her confusing actions. "I don't really mind, but is there something wrong with your room?"

Ellie shook her head as he looked up at him. "No, I just…I just missed you. I know you have not been gone that long, but I don't know when I will see you again when you leave."

Roxas gave a soft chuckle as he ruffled her hair. "You remember what I said last time?" he asked, causing Ellie to nod. "Then you don't have anything to worry about. I still think about you and the rest of my friends. You and the others are the people that I want to protect."

"Will…Will you always be there to protect us?"

Roxas paused as he thought about her question. Truthfully, there was nothing he wanted more that to have the ability to protect everyone he cared about. But…Could he do it? Maybe, maybe not, but he was going to try. He had made a mistake that could cost him dearly, but he was going to learn from that. He was never going to put his friends at risk again.

"I will do everything in my power to protect the people I care about." Roxas said with a smile. He then gave a yawn as he lay down on the bed. "I am tired though. I think we should both go to bed."

Ellie gave a large smile before she tossed her pillow right next to him and snuggled up close. It felt natural to wrap his arm protectively around her as she pulled herself closer.

"I am glad you're feeling better Roxas. When you first came here, you seemed…sad." Ellie said as she looked up at him.

"I was, but I am doing a lot better now. I have a lot of people who are looking out for me." Roxas replied, thinking of how Siesta helped him by giving him the chance to talk with Richard and how Tabitha and Irukukwu were there for him.

Ellie smiled as she pulled herself a little closer, closing her eyes in the process. "Roxas."

"Hmm?"

"Don't ever change."

Roxas gave a soft smile as a brief memory played through his mind. It was the time that Sora and Kairi were sitting at the docks on Destiny Island. They were watching the sunset, talking about the raft they would sail to a new world. Kairi turned to Sora and gave him a smile.

 _Sora, don't ever change._

Roxas closed his eyes as he felt sleep begin to overtake him. "I won't." He whispered.

* * *

Jessica and Siesta had to stop themselves from gushing at the sheer adorableness of the situation. True, Siesta was a little jealous that Ellie had beaten her to the punch, but she could not find it within herself to be angry at the little girl. She and Jessica had their ears pressed against the door as they listened to the small conversation between Ellie and Roxas.

Jessica pushed away from the door as she grinned over at Siesta. "I hope you're not worried. Ellie sees Roxas as the big brother she never had. That's why she is always attached to his hip."

"I know." Siesta said as she pushed away from the door as well. "I think we should get to bed as well."

"I agree. I only came because Amy and Ellie share my room. I was curious when I saw Ellie sneak out." She said as they both walked through the hallways. "He is quite the guy, isn't he?"

"Yeah. He is." Siesta responded.

* * *

"Kida, it is good to see you again."

Kida sat across the table from a man that he had not seen in at least 25 years. "It is good to see you as well. Master Raz."

"Please Kida, you may be still teaching the youngsters about the Keyblade, but I am long since retired." The old man said as he placed a cup of tea in front of Master Kida.

"Once a master, always a master" Kida said as he took the cup from the table and slowly sipped it.

"I am old Kida. There is not much I can do anymore. But enough of that, you must be wondering why I have called you here." Raz said as he took a sip of his cup as well.

"I am a bit curious. It has been over 25 years since we have talked. I always wondered why you never came back to the land of departure."

Raz bit his lower lip as he cast his gaze to the floor. "I-I wanted to. So many times. But I just couldn't. Do you remember my son?"

"Yeah, the little 5 year old that was to be your successor." Kida said as he looked around. "Where is he anyway?"

Raz lower lip trembled as his cup began to shake. "Just a couple years after you left, I preformed the Keyblade inheritance ceremony with him. I was planning on training him myself when he was around 10 years old. But…"

Kida blinked a few times as he saw his longtime friend about to break down in tears. "What happened, where is he?"

"I don't know. When he turned 10, he just disappeared one day. He has been missing for 20 years."

"20 years!" kida exclaimed as he jumped from his seat. "Raz, why didn't you say anything! Why didn't you ask us to help you find him?"

"I couldn't trouble you with my problems. You are in the middle of training your own students, so I have taken it upon myself to search the stars for him, but I have never found him. After a few years, I gave up trying to locate him, so I didn't see appoint in asking your help."

"Ok…So then why now?"

"Because of those creatures of darkness. Ever since they have shown up, they have been killing people by taking their hearts. I could only wonder if that was what happened to my son. I also heard that by killing these creatures, the hearts are released. I could only hope that it would be the same for my son." Raz said as he looked over at his friend. "My only request is that you keep destroying these creatures. If by chance my son was killed by one of these things, and his heart is released, will you keep an eye out if he shows up one day?"

Kida nodded his head. "I will, what does he look like?"

Reaz slowly pulled out a picture from his shirt pocket before he handed it over to Kida. "This was taken 20 years ago. He will be older, but this will give you an idea.

Kida reached out and grasped the photo before he turned it around. Once his gaze landed on the picture, his eyes widened drastically. He nearly choked on his breath as he instantly recognized the boy in the photograph.

"This is impossible." He whispered.

* * *

 **Authors note: Hey guys, it has been a little while hasn't it. I told you the chapters would take a while to get out because, as I suspected, school had gotten a lot harder. But I still found time to write. I got this chapter out and it was very important for the development of Roxas. He still has a lot to learn about emotions.**

 **Now, I left this off at a little cliffy, which is something I usually don't do, but I felt it was time. So, I didn't get to the history of Siesta in this chapter, but I feel that there was enough content as it was. Next chapter will be very interesting to write, so I hope to get it out faster, but if I don't, it is because I am being bombarded with school work. So yeah, that is what is going on.**

 **So anyway, what do you think? Please leave me your thoughts. By the way, I am also starting a new story as well. Posted the first chapter, even though it is a prologue, but it should be exiting. I am also working on a third fanfiction as well, but have not quite polished the first chapter yet. The first chapter is always the headrest to write.**

 **But anyway, thanks for reading.**

 **Until then!**


	15. Chapter 15: A Nobody

**Authors note: Well, here we are again with another chapter. It didn't take as long as I thought to get this one out despite having to start this chapter from complete scratch. The direction of the story has changed so much that my original content is nearly worthless. There are just so many good ideas that I get when I am editing the chapters, that it completely changes the story in the process. An example is the background of master Kida. In my rough draft of this story, he didn't even exist and the staff of destruction was going to belong to a no-name Keyblade wielder with no back ground story. But as I was editing, I was like "Nope!" and I created an OC that had some connection to Xehanort. That made it much more interesting and it was fun to think of some made up history of Xehanort.**

 **Anyway, this chapter will explain Siesta's background. It will be different than a lot of you were expecting though. However, instead of being mad at me, ask yourself this, "Why would DrWriter21 wright it like this? What could be the purpose?" There is a reason which I will not reveal because I don't do spoilers, but you will just have to trust me. It is not a cop-out!**

 **But anyway, please enjoy the chapter. This arc of the story is nearly complete. Maybe one or two more chapters until it is done. Speaking of which, should I break this story up into separate stories on my profile, or would you rather have every chapter in one massive fanfic? I was thinking of finishing this and calling it book one, then I could start book two as a separate fanfic. What do you guys think? Do you want me to split up the story? Or keep it all on one fanfiction?**

 **So, without anything else, please enjoy the story.**

 **Warning: "U Have TYPO" is that really all you have to say? Really? I Know…*Sigh***

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 15

"You always did know how to make yourself scares when you don't want to be found. Isn't that right? Xehanort?" Master Kida asked as he stood across from his old student.

"What a nice surprise. It has been a long time since I was visited by my old master." Xehanort said with a condescending grin. "And what do I owe this pleasure?"

Kida narrowed his eyes at the white haired man. It had been nearly 3 years since Xehanort had left the land of departure to explore the stars as a Keyblade master. He was nearly 30 years old now, while Kida was pushing 65. Xehanort had grown a small goatee and his eyes were a dark yellow, full of mirth and darkness.

"What have you been doing, Xehanort?" Kida asked as he clenched his hands.

Xehanort gave a small laugh as he looked around the desolate world they were currently standing on. "I am doing what I have always done." He said with a grin. "I am furthering my capabilities as a Keyblade master the best way I know how."

"You are still messing with the darkness? You do realize what that same darkness has done to countless worlds, don't you? Those creatures are still out there, Xehanort." Kida growled.

Xehanort chuckled a bit as he extended his hand. Instantly, his Keyblade flashed into existence. "You have not changed one bit Master Kida. You still fear your own darkness. Trust me when I say that your fear will be your ultimate downfall."

"Xehanort….Who are you?" Kida asked as his hands balled into fists.

"I don't understand what you mean." Xehanort said as he cocked his head. "I am just your cute little student that you've been teaching ever since I came to the land of departure."

"That's just it!" Kida growled as he ground his teeth. "A ten year old, showing up out of nowhere that day with the ability to wield the Keyblade. I didn't question it then because of your extraordinary talent, but that's changed, Xehanort."

"Oh, why is that."

Kida stared at his former student before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture of Master Raz's son.

"I visited an old friend recently. He lost his son 20 years ago, the exact same time that you arrived at the land of departure." He started before he glared at Xehanort. "Tell me Xehanort! Tell me why you look exactly like the boy in this picture!" Kida yelled as he turned the picture towards his former student.

Xehanort gave a wide grin as he recognized the boy in the photo. The boy looked exactly how Xehanort looked when he was that age 20 years ago. However, there was one crucial difference. The boy in the picture had dark brown hair, while Xehanort's was a ghostly white.

Xehanort gave a hearty chuckle before a sinister grin split his features. "It seems I have been found out."

"Why! Why would you put your father through this kind of pain! Why didn't you tell him you were ok?" Kida growled.

Xehanort laughed lightly. It started out calm and quiet; however, it soon increased until he was laughing hysterically. It sent chills of fear down Master Kida's spine to hear such laughter.

After a few moments, Xehanort took a few calming breaths before he grinned at the old Keyblade master.

"You still don't get it, do you?"

"I don't get what?"

Xehanort still had a smile on his face as he shook his head. "The boy in that photograph died 20 years ago. It is rather easy for someone that young to be intrigued by the darkness…you could say."

Kida looked at Xehanort in confusion. "What are you talking about? You are that boy!"

"No." Xehanort said as he looked up into the sky with a nasty smile. "You know, life is such a fragile thing. Death is inevitable, whether it be by an accident, someone kills you…" he paused as he looked at his master. "Or you grow old and wither away."

"Have you lost your mind, Xehanort? What are you going on about?"

"Let me finish master." Xehanort said as a large grin split his face. "Even though a body can wither away, a heart will not. However, the heart cannot survive without the body. Do you want to know how to overcome this problem?"

Kida was confused for a few moments until things started to click in his mind. He didn't even want to hear the answer Xehanort would say.

"You simply find a new body…A young body to be a host for your heart."

Kida felt his insides grow cold. His eyes widened in horror at what Xehanort was implying. "Xehanort! What have you done?"

Xehanort chuckled a bit as he looked at his Keyblade. "You once said that out of all the Keyblades there were, mine was the most ancient. Have you ever once stopped to understand why?"

Kida clenched his jaw.

"Do you want to know how many times I have been proclaimed a Keyblade master? Or how many times I have taken the Mark of Mastery? I have to say, out of all my masters, you were one of the most stubborn, which is why I had to take a little initiative."

Kida was nearly shaking in fury as he listened to his student talk. Not once did Xehanort show any signs of regret, just amusement for what he had done.

"How many?"

"Hmm?"

The Forgotten Light flashed into existence as Kida got into his stance. "HOW MANY XEHANORT! How many times have you taken over someone's body?"

Xehanort gave a thinking pose that seemed to just mock his old master. "Too many to count. I am very old Master Kida…And…" Suddenly, dark wisps of energy began to seep from around Xehanort's body as he got into a fighting position. "I have a lot more experience with the darkness than anyone."

Kida's eyes widened when the dark monsters he had been fighting for years suddenly appeared around Xehanort. There beady yellow eyes lacked any form of soul, just showing an unbridled instinct for destruction.

"You brought these creatures here? It was all you?"

"Precisely. But now that you know my secret, I cannot let you live. I hear that my old friend, Master Eraqus, is going to be taking students very soon." He said as another grin split his face. "How can I pass up so many potential options…For a host in the future?"

Kida felt fury well up in his veins, causing him to lose all form of reason. Darkness erupted from his being as his eyes turned a deathly yellow. The black energy began to twist chaotically around him. He crouched down, ready to fight Xehanort with all his might, not caring about what power he used to stop this man.

"XEHANORT!" Kida Shouted as he charged at his former student.

* * *

Roxas eyes shot open as he awoke with a start. Cold sweat was rolling down his face as his breaths came out in ragged gasps. He looked around the dark room in a slight panic before it dawned on him.

He was still in the guest room in Siesta's house.

"Mynuu"

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked down to his right. Ellie yawned as she rubbed her eyes before she looked up at him. "What's wrong Roxas?" she asked sleepily

Roxas took a few calming breaths as he bit his lower lit. His heart was still racing after what he had just witnessed in his dream. He glanced down at his left and just as he suspected, The Forgotten Light was grasped in his hand. A second later, it flashed away.

"It's…It's nothing…Just a bad dream." He said as he slowly lay back down on the pillow, trying to calm his racing heart.

Ellie, still being tired, curled up next to him and fell asleep.

Roxas however, still had a sinking feeling about what he had just learned. By this time, he knew that these were more than just dreams. They were memories of the Forgotten Light's old Master.

Kida's memories of Xehanort.

However, if they were memories, than Roxas felt truly disturbed by what was just revealed. Xehanort hinted that he had jumped bodies countless times in the past, so who knows how old he actually was. If that was the case, then who would be able to beat him? He, Sora, and Riku had defeated his Nobody, Xemnas, and that was hard as it was. But what would it be like going against him personally?

Going against a being that was as old and as experienced as Xehanort.

Roxas inhaled a deep breath and slowly let it out as he closed his eyes, trying to forget the nightmare.

The Nightmare that was Xehanort.

* * *

A yawn escaped Roxas as he sat at a large table. Currently, he was eating breakfast with everyone. It was quite rowdy compared to eating breakfast in kitchens at Tristain academy, but it was still pleasant none the less. Roxas quietly ate his food as he listened to the various stories going around the breakfast table. Some of them were very funny, but those mostly came from Jessica and Amy when they told about specific customers that visited the inn. The inn had gotten much more popular now that Turenne was gone, thus inviting much more business to flow through.

The children shared more petty stories, like building cool forts, or getting into trouble with some of the local villagers. It was still fun to listen to though.

"Roxas."

Roxas blinked as he looked up from his plate. Rachel was giving him a warm smile before she addressed him again.

"You are being really quiet…again."

All noise suddenly ceased as eyes fell on him. He gave an awkward chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. "I…don't have much to say, I guess."

"Nonsense!" Richard boomed as a grin split his face. "Why don't you tell us about where you're from? Surly you lived somewhere before you were summoned, right?"

"Umm." Roxas started, about to decline the offer.

"Yeah! Roxas, we don't know anything about you! What's up with that?" Jessica said as she planted her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her intertwined fingers.

"Huh, now that you mention it, she is right. You have not said anything about yourself." Amy added, resting her cheek on her palm, giving him her undivided attention.

Roxas flushed a little in embarrassment as he noticed everyone was looking at him. "I'm not that interesting. I really don't have much to share."

"Now that's a laugh." Jessica said as she grinned at him. "You say you're not interesting, but you show up one day at the inn, preform magic spells that would make any noble cower in fear, take out a triangle class mage with a strange looking weapon that you seem to summon out of thin air, and to top it all off, you are a human familiar, one of the only ones in history. And you say you're not that interesting?"

"Uhh." Roxas fumbled, having no way to refute her comment. When she put it like that, it did sound really interesting.

Feeling a small tug on his sleeve, he looked to his right to notice Siesta giving him an encouraging smile.

"Surly you can just tell us a little about where you're from. That won't hurt, will it?"

Roxas thought for a moment before he gave a small sigh. "I guess not."

Right when those words left his mouth, the room went completely silent. All eyes were on him, accompanied by the eager faces of Ellie and the rest of Siesta's younger siblings.

Roxas awkwardly scratched the back of his head again as he tried to think of a place to start. "Well, I guess I am from really far away. So far away that I didn't even know where…or what Halkeginia was."

"What! Really?" asked Amy. "How is that possible? Halkeginia is the largest continent in the world."

"It just goes to show how far away it is." Roxas said, pausing to let everyone absorbed what he said. He cleared his throat again as he continued. "Where I am from, the building is much bigger than the ones here. It is constantly dark, and it also rains a lot."

Jessica frowned a little when she heard that. "It does not sound like a nice place to live."

Roxas nearly laughed. Jessica was right on the money. "But we don't have nobles like you do."

Eyes widened when they heard that.

"What! There aren't any nobles? What kind of place is this? How can there not be any nobles." Asked Amy.

"It's a different system." Roxas said simply as he took a deep breath. "Another thing is that we only have one moon instead of two." Actually, it was Kingdom hearts, but they didn't need to know that just yet. That was a whole different story.

There was silence again as everyone tried to imagine what a sky would look like with only one moon. The silence was broken when Richard hummed in thought.

"Hmm" Richard said as he scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Your description sounds really familiar, aside from the constant darkness that is."

"Dear, let's not talk about that right now." Rachel said with a distasteful look on her face.

"Rachel, my sweet wife. I know you don't believe what my grandfather has said, but that was no reason to act that way towards him." Richard said gently.

Roxas raised an eyebrow at both of them. "What are you talking about?"

Richard cleared his throat. "Well, my grandfather was an interesting character. He passed away not too long ago. But to his dying breath, he claimed that he came from a different world."

Roxas blinked a few times as he felt his stomach drop. "W-What?"

Richard gave a small sigh. "I know it sounds crazy, but he was so convinced of it, that I can't help but believe him. He would tell stories of a place where there was no nobility, no commoners, and only one moon in the sky." He continued before giving a hearty laugh. "You are not from another world, are you?" he asked in a joking manner.

Roxas stayed silent as he thought about what Richard had just said. It was almost laughable at how Richard had guessed it so easily.

"But you know, more than just him saying that he was from a different world, he also had the dragon raiment."

Roxas looked up at the burly man. "Dragon raiment?"

Rachel gave a sigh. "Well, even though I don't believe his words, the dragon raiment is unlike anything I have ever seen in my life."

Richard nodded as he turned to Roxas. "The dragon raiment has been a family heirloom for a while now, even though we don't know how to use it…or what it even is. According to my grandfather, he and another dragon appeared in Halkeginia during the solar eclipse. The other dragon disappeared back into the eclipse, by my grandfather did not."

"Huh." Roxas thought as he continued to absorb Richards's worlds. "Would it be ok if I saw it?"

"Of course!" Richard boomed. "After breakfast, I will give you the map and Siesta can show you where it is."

"Thank you." Roxas said as continued to think about all that Richard had said. Could it be possible that it was another Keyblade wielder? One like Master Kida? If that was true, what was the dragon Raiment?

"Hold up! You are not off the hook. Tell us more about where you are from." Richard said with a grin.

Roxas paused before he looked around again. Eyes were still on him, causing him to scratch the back of his head nervously. "Well, I had a few friends named Axel and Xion. We were a part of an organization what hunted monsters…"

* * *

"According to the map, it should be this way." Siesta said as she led Roxas through the woods. After breakfast, Richard handed over the map and went about to do his daily routine. Racheal and the rest of the family did likewise. Currently, Roxas and Siesta were walking side-by-side down a narrow path in the woods as they followed the map.

"I have to admit, I am really curious about this as well." Jessica said as she walked behind them. Amy and Ellie were also with them. Amy was looking around the forest while Ellie was skipping alongside them, happily humming a tune.

"Do you think Siesta's great grandfather is crazy? Or was he telling the truth." Amy asked.

Roxas looked over his shoulder at the three of them. He was biting his lower lip because it was definitely a possibility that Siesta's grandfather was from a different world. After all…

He was.

"I have no reason to doubt it." Roxas said simply as he turned his attention back to the map.

"But if he was telling the truth, how many worlds do you think there are?" asked Ellie curiously.

"An infinite number." Roxas replied quietly, though not quietly enough as Siesta, Amy, Jessica, and Ellie all heard it. They all looked at each other inquisitively before letting it drop.

Roxas on the other hand had a lot on his mind. If Richard was right, then Siesta's great-grandfather was from a different world. Again, does that mean he was a Keyblade master? If that was the case, then they didn't he leave? Why did he stay in this world?

But then there was another option. What if this person was not a Keyblade master? What if Siesta's great grandfather was just a regular person from a different world. Just the thought was impossible because the worlds were divided and separated by invisible walls. Sure those walls were broken by the heartless, but that was after Siesta's grandfather came to this world. The only ones that could get through those walls were the Keyblade masters, and those that use the corridors of darkness like himself.

If someone managed to travel to a different world by some other way, then what did that mean? What kind of world was this that allowed people to travel to and from it?

These thoughts, however, were only applicable if it was true about Siesta's great-grandfather. Roxas still needed to see if this person actually did come from another world, and how he did it.

"KYU! ROXAS I FOUND YOU!"

Roxas barely had time to look up from the map before a blur slammed straight into him, causing him of loose his balance and crash to the ground with whatever had collided with him. He soon felt his lung in desperate need of air as a pair of arms constricted around his chest. He slowly looked down before he easily recognized the mop of blue hair.

"Irukukwu? What are you doing here?" he gasped.

Irukukwu looked up at him with her big green eyes. She was actually wearing an outfit this time instead of her usual cloak.

"Roxas! You left so suddenly. Why didn't you tell us you were going somewhere? We were worried about you!" Irukukwu said a she puffed out her cheeks.

"It was…a last minute thing." Roxas said as he tried to sit up. Irukukwu sat up with him, but she still had had her hands on his shoulders while straddling his lap, a pout still on her face.

"Roxas?"

Roxas looked up to notice all eyes were on him. More specifically, they were all glaring at him, though he could not understand why.

"Who is this?" Siesta asked with a forced smile, her eyebrow twitching at the rather intimate position they were in.

"Uhh, this is…" Roxas started before he remembered that Irukukwu was supposed to keep her human side a secret. Why was she out in the open like this anyway? Why was she even here in the first place? "This is-uhh-this is." He shuddered

"This is my younger sister."

Everyone blinked before they looked into the woods. There stood a familiar petite girl with a staff in her hand. She was pinching the bridge of her nose slightly as she stared at her familiar.

"Tabitha?" Roxas asked.

Siesta blinked as she easily recognized the blue-haired. "Mistress Tabitha! What are you doing here?"

"That would be my fault." Said another voice behind Tabitha. Everyone looked to see a red-head standing there with an amused grin on her face. "I saw you and Roxas leave and curiosity got the best of me. Also, I wanted to see how Roxas was doing." She said as her features softened.

Roxas gently pushed Irukukwu off of him as he stood up. Irukukwu, however, stood up with him, her arms around his midsection. "I am doing a lot better, thanks."

"I can see that." Kirche said as she gave him a seductive smile. She sauntered up to him and threw an arm around his shoulder while tracing his chest with her finger. "It was so boooring with you being depressed like that~ I am glad you finally snapped out of it."

Roxas flushed a little as he tried to shrug off her arm. "I have a lot of people that are looking out for me."

"Umm."

Everyone turned to see Jessica, Amy, and Ellie standing there. It was a very awkward atmosphere. Jessica and Amy were looking completely confused as they frowned at Kirche. Ellie however was glaring at Irukukwu.

"Who are all these people?" asked Amy.

"Friends from the academy." Roxas said as he tried to pry Irukukwu off of him, however, she just cling on tighter causing Ellie to puff out her cheeks in annoyance. The little girl stomped over to the both of them and grasped Roxas's other arm, glaring at Irukukwu in the process.

Kirche raised her eyebrow in amusement as she watched the scene before she turned to the others. "My name is Kirche von Zerbst. I don't believe any of us have been introduced."

Amy and Jessica snapped their attention to the…rather attractive red-head.

"My name is Amy."

"I am Jessica."

Kirche nodded to them before she pointed to Ellie, who was still glaring at Irukukwu. "And the squirt?"

"Hey!"

"That is my little sister, Ellie." Amy said before she frowned. "You're a noble, aren't you? Why are you being so…civil with us?"

Kirche scrunched her eyebrows a little. She remembered the little girl form the time that Roxas healed her. "You've had some really bad run in with nobles, haven't you?"

"More than one occasion."

"Well, not all of us are like that. I mean…" Kirche started before she turned to Ellie and walked toward her. Ellie seemed too noticed as she tore her glaring gaze away from Irukukwu and fixed it on Kirche. Immediately, she felt a little nervous being in the presents of the tall red-head.

"Who could hurt such an adorable little girl?" Kirche gushed as she squashed Ellie in a tight hug.

Ellie released Roxas as she flailed her arm about. "Your killing me! Let go!"

The tense atmosphere seemed to completely evaporate thanks to Kirche's antics. Even Amy and Jessica shared a little laugh at Ellie's misfortune.

"You know, you're alright." Amy said as she turned her attention to Tabitha, who walked up to Irukukwu and pinched her ear, pulling her away from Roxas.

"KYU, Owe! Big Sis Tabitha! Let me go!" Irukukwu cried as she rubbed her sore ear. Tabitha has a small frown on her face. Roxas knew it was because Irukukwu had revealed her human self to so many people without her permission.

"So, what is your name?" asked Amy.

Tabitha looked over at the group with an expressionless gaze. "Tabitha."

…

There was an awkward silence as they waited for her to say something else, but she didn't. Kirche gave a small chuckle as she released Ellie. Ellie gasped for breath before she fled to her sister for protection.

"Tabitha does not say much, so please don't mind her." Kirche said.

Siesta watched the whole scene unfold in front of her. It was really amusing to watch. She was surprised to see them here. Even more, she was surprised that they were all getting along so well. She then turned her attention to Irukukwu, who was pouting, before she looked back at Tabitha.

"This is you…Younger sister?"

Tabitha turned her attention to siesta before she nodded once.

Everyone besides Roxas blinked a few times before they looked at the more…Developed girl before they looked back at Tabitha again. For some reason, it was really hard to swallow.

"Well, now that we are all acquainted, what are you all up to?" asked Kirche as she crossed her arms under her large chest.

"We are on our way to see the family heirloom" Siesta replied as she held out the map for Kirche to see.

"Oh? Well, you wouldn't mind if we joined would you? It had been terribly boring lately and we would like to do something exciting."

"I don't really mind." Siesta replied as she looked back at the map. They continued to make their way back down the path.

* * *

It was a few moments later that the large group suddenly found themselves staring into the mouth of a large cave. The map said to go directly into it, so that was what they did. Kirche was being the social butterfly that she always was by having a conversing with Amy, Jessica, and Ellie. Roxas could hear them laughing in the background at some of the stories they would tell each other. After Ellie found herself caught up in Kirche's death hugs a few times, she learned to stay clear of her by hiding behind Amy. Though she would share a comment here or there when a question was asked.

Tabitha just silently walked beside Irukukwu and Roxas while Siesta lead the way, following the maps direction.

Tabitha looked over at the Spiky-haired boy before she gently reached over at tugged his sleeve to get his attention.

"Roxas."

Roxas glanced over at her with an inquisitive look.

"Are you feeling better?"

Roxas gave a small smile as he nodded. "Yeah. I am very lucky to have people that care about me. I am doing a lot better, but I still have to do something to help Tristain in this war."

Tabitha nodded as she looked down the cave. "War is a terrible thing. So many people loose their lives…and lives are something that can never be replaced."

Roxas gave a small sigh as he agreed with her. "Yeah. If only there was a way to fight a war without losing so many lives…"

Suddenly, Roxas gasped as an idea entered his min. His eyes widened immensely as he continued to ponder that thought. The answer was staring him straight in the face. How had he not seen this sooner? It was definitely a possibility, but would it work? Would they even listen to him now that he had a heart?

He had no idea, but with that thought, came infinite possibilities.

Tabitha seemed to notice his reaction. "Is something wrong?"

Slowly, a smile formed on Roxas's lips as he turned toward the girl. "No, if fact, everything just got better."

"STOP! DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER STEP!"

Immediately, the oblivion appeared in Roxas's hand as the shout echoed through the cave. Roxas got into his stance as he stared into the darkness.

"Who are you?"

"You are not going to take another step towards the Dragon raiment. That is an ancient artifact that will be used for discovery. If you take one more step, I will not hesitate to attack."

Tabitha raised her staff as Kirche took out her wand, both ready for anything to happen. Siesta gently grabbed the back of Roxas's coat as she looked into the darkness with fear, while Amy, Jessica, and Ellie took cover behind Tabitha and Kirche.

"You can't beat us all." Roxas said. "Show yourself!"

"You leave me with no choice then."

Suddenly, there was an explosion above Roxas's head. He looked up to see a stalactite had just been blasted loose and was falling straight towards him and Siesta. Quickly, Roxas grabbed Siesta around the waist and dashed out of the way. The stalactite smashed into the ground, shattering upon impact.

Roxas shot towards Tabitha and Kirche before he put Siesta down. "Watch over her please." He said, causing both of them to nod.

Roxas summoned the forgotten light to his hand before he pointed it into the darkness. "Fire!"

Immediately, the tip of the Keyblade erupted in a massive fireball before it flew down the cave, brightly lighting it up. But that was just enough for what Roxas was planning. In the light, he saw just a small movement of shadows, allowing him to pinpoint where the attacker was.

Immediately, he used Light dash and flew at the shadow with blinding speed. Just as he was close enough, he swung his Keyblade at the figure. However, the figure was agile enough to duck before they Keyblade made contact. That being said, the person was not fast enough as Roxas shot around and slammed his Keyblade into the persons back, causing the figure to scream in pain and flop to the ground.

Roxas planted his foot on the persons back as he pointed his Keyblade at him.

"I got him." Roxas called to the rest of the group.

Everyone slowly made their way over while Kirche ignited a small flame on the tip of her wand. When they were all close enough, the light overcame the shadows, allowing the figures face to be shown.

"Professor Colbert?" Kirche gasped as she recognized the balding man's face.

"Kirche, Tabitha, Roxas? What are you doing here?" He gasped in pain.

Roxas blinked a few times as he recognized the old man. He took his foot off the middle of his back as he stepped away. "Why did you attack us?"

Colbert groaned as he pushed himself to his knees. "I thought you were trespassing. This leads to the Dragon Raiment that came here on the eclipse a long time ago. I recently heard about it and wanted to see if for myself."

"That Dragon Raiment is a family heirloom. We have every right to see it." Siesta said with a small frown. She was just a little angry that the professor tried to hurt them.

"I see." Colbert said as he shakily stood on his feet. "My dearest apologies. I did not know."

Siesta gave a small sigh as she smiled at the balding man. "It is alright professor."

"I am sorry as well." Roxas said, feeling a little bad that he clubbed the man in the back.

"It is quite all right." Colbert said as he winced a bit. "Now I know how Count Mott feels. I would definitely not want to fight you."

Roxas laughed awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. However, he then noticed someone standing behind Colbert. Someone he really didn't want to see at the moment.

"Louise." Roxas said flatly.

Louise stood there with her hands on her hips, a frown on her face. "You left without telling me."

"You told me to." Roxas fired back as he walked past her. "Am I am glad you did. Thanks to my friends, I am feeling a lot better now. What are you doing here?"

"I just came with Professor Colbert because I was curious. Don't think for a second that I was worried about you." She said stubbornly as she crossed her arms.

"Sure." Roxas said as he continued to walk down the cave.

* * *

It didn't take long to make it out of the cave with the help of Siesta and Colbert. Colbert was able to interpret the map easily and Siesta was able to answer any questions he had concerning the map. With them working together, they eventually stood in front of a worn down building. Everyone was staring at it before Siesta looked at the lock on the door.

"It looks like my father forgot to give us the key. Roxas, would you mind?" Siesta asked with a smile.

Roxas smiled back before he summoned the Oblivion to his hand. A second later, the lock clicked and everyone was able to enter the building. What they saw made them gasp. Everyone, except for Roxas moved toward the mysterious object and looked it over in wonder.

Roxas however, just stared at the piece of machinery. He had never really seen anything like it, but it was still low tech compared to the technology of the world that never was. However it was also to advance for Halkeginia.

From what he could see, it was an old aviation device of some kind, which made sense because these people thought it was a dragon of some sort. However, just looking at it, Roxas knew that this machine could not handle traveling between worlds.

That only meant one thing.

Siesta's great grandfather was able to travel between his and this world without the use of a Keyblade, a gummy ship, or even the Corridors of darkness. Which also made sense because without at least one of those, there would be no way for him to get back, leaving him stuck on this world.

However, that also begged the question. What kind of world was this that allowed someone to bypass the impassable walls that separated the worlds? What did that mean? Was this world connected somehow? Did this world possess a certain power that allowed people to travel to and from it? Was that connected to how he was summoned here?

There was too much to think about. With this new discovery, so many more questions began to surface in the mind of this young nobody. Roxas began to wonder if there was something really special about this world.

"Roxas! Hello, Roxas?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he saw Siesta standing in front of him with a worried look on her face.

"Yes?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah." Roxas replied as he looked at the machine again. "Just thinking about something."

Siesta giggled a little. "You do usually space out when you're deep in thought." She said before she turned to the ancient dragon. "So what do you think? Do you believe that my great-grandfather was from a different world?" she asked in an almost joking manner.

"Yes." Roxas said without hesitation.

His abrupt reply got the attention of everyone around. They all looked at him with their eyebrows raised.

"Uh, not to question your judgement, but why you are so convinced?" asked Jessica.

"Because this device is way too advance for this world."

"And how would you know that?" asked Colbert, his eyes showing signs of suspicion.

Roxas tore his gaze away from everyone as he looked to the ground. As time went on, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep this fact away from them.

The fact that he was not form this world.

"Professor Colbert." He started before he looked over at the entire group. "Siesta's great grandfather claims he is from a different world, and he says that this machine brought him here. Do you think that is possible? Do you believe there could be other worlds out there?"

"Hmm" Colbert hummed at he scratched his chin. "Theoretically yes. The universe is bigger than anyone can imagine. Why would we be the only ones out there? Though that would make you wonder, what would these worlds be like?" he said as he gave a depressed sigh. "Would sadness and war exist on these worlds as well?"

Roxas felt his eyebrows scrunch as he looked towards the ground again. There was a war that was going to happen really soon between Tristain and Albion. However, he had an idea that may help. He was not going to sit around and mope about his mistakes.

He was going to act now.

Determination filled Roxas's eyes as he turned and exited the building, leaving everyone to raise an eyebrow at him. He was quickly followed by the group.

"Roxas, where are you going?" asked Ellie as she bounded up to him.

Roxas stopped as he looked back at his friends. These people, every one of them, he wanted to protect them. He wanted to keep them safe from war, a war that may end there existence. He could not let that happen.

"I am going away for a bit."

"Ok, I will come with you." Ellie beamed.

Roxas shook his head. "No. This is something I have to do alone."

"Roxas, what are you saying? What are you talking about? Where are you going?" Siesta asked, concern written all over her face. The way Roxas was talking was really starting to worry her.

"There is a war coming to Tristain, and we need an army. I may know how we can win this war without losing many lives." He said, causing their eyes to widen at him.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" asked Louise. "Where are you supposed to get an army? You can't just pull bodies out of thin air."

Roxas almost wanted to laugh at the wording of her statement. Why?

Because that was exactly what he was going to do?

However, he had hid things long enough. If they were going to understand what he was going to do, they needed to know what exactly he was.

It was time.

"If you are to understand what I am about to do, I need to reveal some things about myself."

Everyone's eyes suddenly widened again. In all the time they had known Roxas, they understood that he was very quiet about his life. Nearly every time they asked, he would find a way to dodge the question, or just plain not answer it. But now, he was going to explain a little about himself. That was something they were not going to miss.

* * *

It was just minutes later that everyone was sitting in the grass, all looking at the source of their interest. Roxas sat in front of them, an unsure look on his face as he tried to find a way to explain all of this. Truthfully, it was very complicated, and he didn't know if they would understand or not. But they were his friends. If he was going to get them to trust his plan, he needed to trust them as well.

"So, you are finally ready to answer some questions now?" Asked Kirche.

Roxas nodded, but he could not help but feel a little anxious about this. He didn't know how they would react to this new knowledge.

"Ok. First, I would just like to ask." Louise started. "Who are you? What are you?"

Roxas took a deep breath. "My name is Roxas. I am a Nobody."

"But what does that mean. You have said that about yourself before, but you seem to refer to that as a title more than anything else." Kirche said.

"That is exactly correct." Roxas said before he looked at Louise. "Just to make things easier to understand. Louise, you didn't summon me from a faraway place. You summoned me from another world."

…

There were no worlds to describe the amount of confusion, disbelief, or surprise that went through the minds of all that were listening.

"W-What did you say?" Louise asked in a shaky voice.

"I meant just what I said. Colbert is correct when he thinks there are many worlds out there. Do you really think you are the only ones in the entire universe? Siesta's great-grandfather is another example. That machine you saw was truly from another world."

"So-So that is why you were so sure my great grandfather was telling the truth." Siesta said, staring at him with wide eyes. "It was because you are also from another world."

"Yeah." Roxas replied as he looked at Amy, Ellie, and Jessica. They were staring at him like he was insane. "I know it is hard to swallow, but trust me when I say this, it is going to get a lot more complicated. If you can't handle it, I suggest you leave."

Amy and Jessica looked at each other for a few moments, debating whether or not they have heard enough.

Ellie just stared at him for the longest time before she suddenly stood from her spot. She walked over to him before resting her hands on her hips. "You-you're not lying right? You really came from a different world?"

Without any hesitation, Roxas nodded. "I did."

"Then-Then I believe you."

"Ellie…" Amy started, frowning at her younger sister.

Ellie returned to her position on the grass before she looked to her sister. "He saved me twice Amy." She said, interrupting her older sister. "Isn't that enough for us to believe him?"

Amy looked really conflicted, but could not disagree with her statement. "I-I guess. This is just so crazy. He is claiming to have come from a different world. You must understand how insane that sounds."

"I know. But I swear on my heart, everything I am about to tell you is true." Roxas said as he stared at Jessica and Amy. The sheer determination in his eyes was enough to eradicate any doubt they had in the nobody.

"Alright then, alien man." Kirche said, trying to bring a cut the tension a little. "So you came from another world. If that's true, it really explains some of your…Rather unique abilities." She said, causing Tabitha to nod once. "But what do you mean when you say you are a nobody?"

Roxas gave a bitter smile. "If you are to understand that, then I need to tell you about a boy name Sora."

"Why is he important?" asked Louise, still trying to swallow what he had said earlier. Truthfully, she was on the same boat as Amy and Jessica.

"He just is. It will make sense when I continue to explain. I promise."

"Alright." Colbert said as he crossed his arms, giving Roxas his undivided attention. He was not the only one though. Everyone else was staring at him, not wanting to miss a word of what he was going to say.

Roxas cleared his throat. "The Keyblade…" He started as he summoned the weapon to his hand. "Is an immensely powerful weapon, used by Keyblade masters to protect the worlds?"

"Protect the worlds?" asked Ellie.

"Yes. Whenever the balance of the worlds is upset, the Keyblade masters come to restore the balance of light and darkness. They protect the worlds from plunging into the darkness."

"So, just so I understand…Keyblade masters have the ability to travel to different worlds. And they protect these worlds from falling into this so called…darkness?" asked Amy.

Roxas nodded causing everyone to raise their eyebrows in confusion.

"What causes worlds to plunge into the darkness?" Colbert asked.

"The Heartless."

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees when he said that. "And…What are Heartless?" asked Colbert.

Roxas bit his lip as he tried to think of an explanation. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought. He then turned to Louise, Kirche, and Tabitha.

"Do you remember the power that Wardes had when we fought him?" he asked, causing them to nod.

"That was the power of darkness. Heartless are basically the darkness given life. They have no soul, no heart, and no mind. They wander the world, devouring everything that stands in their way. They act on instinct and will not hesitate to devour your heart."

Everyone's eyes widened as this new information was starting to sink in. Ellie was holding onto Amy's hand as she started to shake in fear.

"Kyu! I don't like this story." Irukukwu said as she hugged Tabitha's arm.

"So these creatures…They are able to travel to different worlds, and they…eat your heart?" Colbert asked carefully, trying to understand what Roxas was saying.

"If only they were that merciful." Roxas said bitterly. "They consume your very soul, the thing that makes you who you are. That is what I mean by your heart. When a heartless consumes your heart, you plunge into the darkness and become one of them."

Ellie cried out as she grasped her sister's arm while burying her face in Amy's shoulder. Amy was gently stroking her hair, but she was not baring that well either.

"How-How can this be? I have never heard of something like this? How can I know you are telling the truth?" Louise asked in a shaky voice.

Roxas felt a small wave of guilt wash over him before he shook it off. "Because that was exactly what happened to Wales." He said, causing Louise to gasp in horror. "Wales's heart was directly exposed to the darkness when he took Wardes attack. The darkness overwhelmed his heart, and it was lost." Roxas said as he looked her in the eyes. "And that could have been you."

People were looking back and forth between Roxas and Louise a few times, a little confused, but they got the gist of what he was saying.

"Anyway, the heartless have a great fear of the Keyblade. With its power, the Keyblade can release the hearts that have been captured by the heartless. That is a reason they are called to protect the worlds."

It felt like a breath that everyone was holding seemed to release as he said that. A bit of relief seemed to soften the tense atmosphere.

"Sora. He was chosen by the Keyblade when he was only 14 years old."

Colbert scrunched his eyebrows in disgust. "To place a burden that great on a child! Children should not have to fight in war, or have to protect worlds from creatures like that."

"Sora could handle it. In fact, right after he was chosen, his world was consumed by the darkness." Roxas said, causing everyone to gasp in horror. "However, he managed to escape. He traveled the worlds looking for his friends…and even save all of the worlds on more than one occasion."

Everyone blinked in surprise. "He…did?" asked Jessica.

"Yes. Sora was a wielder of the Keyblade like no other. He saved countless worlds from plunging into the darkness. He fought and defeated endless heartless and saved many worlds by locking there keyhole."

"What is a keyhole?" asked Tabitha quietly.

"Every world has a keyhole that leads to the heart of that specific world. If the keyhole is sealed, the heartless cannot enter through and destroy it. A Keyblade is the only thing that can seal a world's keyhole."

Tabitha nodded, allowing Roxas to continue. "Eventually, Sora did find his friends again. However, one of them had given himself to the darkness, a lot like how Wardes did. He used what he learned from the darkness in order to craft a special kind of Keyblade so he could match Sora's power."

"He crafted one? How can you craft a weapon like that?" Colbert asked

"That is a whole other story. Just to make thinks easier, I will just say he was able to make one, and he tried to kill Sora with it." Roxas said before he gave a small laugh. "However, Sora was able to beat him again. That led to him finding his other friend. A girl named Kairi."

"Kairi? Oh, this story is getting interesting." Kirche said with a sly smile.

"Kairi had lost her heart to the darkness when her and Sora's world was consumed." Roxas said, completely killing any relief that Kirche had tried to provide, leaving a depressed atmosphere.

"So, he lost his other friend as well?" Amy asked.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. However, he learned that right before her heart was consumed by the darkness, it found refuge…within his heart."

"That's…Kind of romantic." Kirche said as she rubbed her chin.

"However, the only way he could think of to give her heart back, he had to make a sacrifice."

"What do you mean?" Asked Louise, who was just as intrigued by the story as everyone else.

"Sora took his enemy's Keyblade and thrust it into his own heart, thus releasing Kari's heart and bringing her back."

A round of gasps was heard as he paused. He allowed that to sink in.

"W-What happened to him? What happened to Sora?" asked Ellie, gaining a little courage and pulling her face away from her sister's arm.

Roxas gave a small sigh. This was always a painful reminder of what he was.

"The act of Releasing Kari's heart caused Sora to lose his own heart. He was plunged into the darkness and became…a heartless."

The atmosphere turned to one of sadness as Roxas finished. A few even felt themselves choke up when they heard this. This young boy had sacrificed his own soul to save the life of his friend. A boy that fought so hard and done so much good…had been lost.

"So he sacrificed his life for hers? You know, I love a good story, it a tragedy always hurts." Kirche said somberly.

"Yeah, Sora lost his heart for a little while; however, his connection to Kairi was so strong that just the bond between them was enough for him to be restored."

"Wait! He came back?"

Roxas nodded. "Kairi was Sora's light. Her voice cut through the darkness and brought him back."

"OHH! That is so romantic!" Kirche gushed. "I love a good ending!"

"This is all very interesting, but what does this have to do with you?" asked Colbert.

"Everything." Roxas said quietly. He paused to make sure he had there attention. "What do you think happens to a person's body when they lose their heart?" He asked, getting a round of confused looks. "It becomes and empty shell with no emotions. Eventually, that empty shell remembers how to move, how to think, and how to act. That empty shell is what's called…" Roxas took a deep breath.

"A Nobody."

Gears seemed to click in everyone's mind when they heard that. Eyes widened and mouth dropped open as they made the connection and understood what he was implying.

"I am the Nobody of Sora. I was created when he lost his heart to the darkness. I…I was never supposed to exist."

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. Happy Late Halloween. Roxas finally reveals what he is. I thought the dramatic ending was appropriate for this** **chapter. Yes it is a little smaller than usual, but still over 8K words, so no complaining please. I think next chapter will be the season finale, it will be epic, and I am looking forward to it.**

 **Siesta's heritage is like the one on cannon. What does this mean for this world? How is it connected? Instead of being mad and calling me a cop-out, give it some thought. I am sorry if some of you are disappointed, but it is important.**

 **Anyway, sorry chapters are taking so long to get out. It is really hard to find time to write because of all these freaking project pilling up on me. I have not even been able to work on my other story because of the bombardment, which is sad because I really want to. I just feel that this story has more of a priority because of the amount of people that read it. I thank you all for your support on this story.**

 **Anyway, please leave a review. I need some encouragement because school is killer. I love writing, but homework has a large priority.**

 **Anyway, look forward to the finale next time.**

 **Until then!**


	16. Chapter 16: Caring for Nothing

**Authors Note: Well…this is awkward. I know I said that this chapter would be the season finale, however, once I got up to 13K words, I knew that I would have to split this up because I was not even done yet. So, here is another chapter before the finale. Please don't be to mad at me. Truthfully, there was not enough content before the war, so just transitioning would have felt really rushed. Since it is nearing the end of the first season, I really didn't want to do that.**

 **Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I have been busy like you would not believe and I am thankful for your patience. Hopefully the last chapter will not take as long.**

 **Anyway, not much action in this chapter, but I did leave you all hanging, which I apologize for. I know cliffhangers suck, but you have to admit, it was a good ending for the chapter.**

 **Happy thanksgiving. One thing I am very thankful for is the people that supported me in this story for as long as it has been going on. Thank you all very much for your encouraging words.**

 **Also, I made another small durp in last chapter. In Kingdom hearts lore, a person is made of a body, soul, and heart. The heartless take the heart, but leave the body and soul, which is how Nobodies are alive. They are a body and Soul, but they lack a heart. I will explain it more in the chapter, but I will go back soon and fix that.**

 **Well, I have kept you long enough. Here is another chapter. Please enjoy.**

 **Warning: Reader: "U have TYPO!"**

 **Me: No Way! I Do? Really? (Sarcasm)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

 **P.S. The Lord of Pages had edited the third chapter. Big Shout out to him for getting that done. Thank you so much.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 16

Wardes was sitting in a dark room, his one arm resting on the table as he looked at the man sitting across from him. It had been a few days since he had killed the Prince of Albion and those days had been agonizing. But what would you expect with the loss of one of you limbs.

Needless to say, Wardes was not in a good mood at the moment as he stared into the eyes of the man sitting across the table.

"You lied to me! You said that no one would be able to beat me with the powers of darkness! But as you can see…" he said as he lifted his stump. "I was beaten. Not only that, but I was beaten by an exhausted CHILD!"

The other figure just sat there with his hands resting in his lap. He had a patronizing grin on his face as he watched the square class mage vent his frustrations. True, he was a little surprised that someone managed to beat Wardes with the power he gave him, but then again, Wardes was a very prideful man, quick to underestimate his opponent.

"Do not blame the power that I bestowed upon you Sir Wardes." The figure started. "It was your own arrogance and pride that has lead to the loss of your limb. You should have never underestimated your foe."

"He was able to cut through the darkness! You said that should have been impossible." Wardes shot back

The figure rested his elbows on the table as he pondered this new information. "That is very interesting. There is only one thing that can cut through the darkness."

"Light." Wardes said bitterly as he reached over and touched his stump.

When the figure across that table heard this, his eyes widened a little. "That is correct, but how did you know that?"

"The person I fought said that light was more powerful than darkness. He used that power to defeat me. Why didn't you warn me of this?"

"Hmm." The figure responded as he rested his hands on his intertwined fingers. "Users of light are very rare. I did not expect you to meet one on your venture to assassinate the prince of Albion. What was the child's name?"

Wardes grit his teeth as memories of the boy entered his mind.

"Roxas."

Immediately, the other figure's eyes widened immensely. However, a sinister grin formed on his face as he lowered his hands to the table.

"Number 13. Roxas. The Key of Destiny. Oh the memories that name brings to me."

Wardes looked at the man skeptically. "You know this boy."

"I do. If he is your opponent, then you stand no chance against him." The figure said with a hearty chuckle.

Wardes saw red as he abruptly stood from his seat. "I will not be talked down to by a lowly commoner such as yourself. Don't think that just because Joseph summoned you that you can talk to me like that! Even if he sent you here to aid me.

The figure shook his head before he looked up at the man with sinister yellow eyes. "Joseph doesn't even know I am here. He is to busy with his…real familiar to keep track of me. I am here on my own accord…and for my own amusement."

"Joseph doesn't know you're here? Isn't he your master?"

The figure gave another low chuckle that seemed to make fun of the enraged man. "What are you going to do now Wardes? You are outclassed in this battle. You may have left Tristan to fend for itself, but they are a strong country. Even without the aid of Germania, they may still beat you, especially if Roxas is on there side." The figure said, changing the subject.

Wardes grit his teeth as he slammed his hands on the table. "Give me more power!"

A grin crossed over the figures face. "Your heart is not strong enough to handle the power of darkness. It will consume you. Not even Joseph has been able to handle more than what I gave you."

"Don't patronize me commoner. I am a square class mage, a noble blessed by the founder Brimir. I can take anything you give me. So give me the power of darkness." Wardes growled.

At the mention of Brimir, the figure could not help but laugh. "How nostalgic." He said as he looked up at the angered mage. "As you wish."

The figure stood from his seat before he walked over to Wardes and extended his hand. "Open your heart. Surrender it to the darkness…" He said as a vile green aura left his hand and began to enter into Wardes's being.

"Become darkness itself."

Immediately, Wardes's entire frame started to glow with a dark green hue. Never in his life had the man ever felt this powerful in his life. He felt like no one could stand up to him, that he could concur with just a twitch of his finger.

Suddenly, Wardes extended his hand to the side. Immediately, the darkness converged at a spot on the ground before a little figure appeared. The figure had a large, round head with two antennas. Its beady little eyes were yellow lacking any from of soul.

Wardes looked at the creature for a few moments before a grin split his face. "So these are the heartless creatures you have told me about.

The figure nodded as he glanced over at the small shadow. "Beware though. Heartless are fickle creatures. They follow who is strongest, and will not hesitate to betray you."

"Then we wont have a problem." Wardes said as he waved his arm. Immediately, the heartless disappeared in a flash of darkness. "Right now, there is no one more powerful than me."

The figure gave a small chuckle before he turned around and walked a few steps away. "Remember that this is what you wanted. Do not blame me if it betrays you in the end." The figure said as he extended his hand. Immediately, a portal of darkness erupted fro the ground.

The corridor of darkness.

Seeing that the figure was about to leave, Wardes called out to him. "Wait!"

The figure stopped before he entered the corridor. He looked over his shoulder at Wardes.

"How do you now Roxas? Who is he?"

The figure paused for a few moments before he let out a sinister chuckle. "In a way, you could say that I was the one that gave him his name." The man said as he stepped through the corridor of darkness, leavening a confused Wardes behind.

Stepping through the corridor of darkness, the figure found himself in his living courters, provided by Joseph himself. The man grinned to himself at the new information he had learned from Wardes.

"Roxas. How are you here? How did you not disappear when you fused with Sora?" he said as he looked out his window into the night sky. "I think I will stick around for a little while longer. Things have gotten very interesting."

The figure opened the door to his balcony as he walked out, letting the cool night are caress his face. He looked up to admire the twin moons in the sky as he closed his eyes.

"It really is nostalgic."

* * *

It was done. The ball had been dropped. As Roxas looked at his friends, there were no words to describe the amount of confusion and shock in there eyes. He couldn't really blame them either. He had just told them that he was not supposed to exist. How do you respond to something like that? What were you supposed to say? He had a similar reaction when Namine said that to him.

"I-I don't really understand. You're trying to say that the body can survive without the heart. How is that possible?" asked Colbert, trying to wrap his head around what he had just learned.

"You're looking at proof right now. When a Heartless takes your heart, all that is left is an empty shell. A person is made up of three main components, the body, the soul, and the Heart. The body is physical, everyone has it." Roxas started as he lifted his hand and clenched his fist. "The soul is what gives the body life." He continued, looking around to make sure everyone was on the same page.

"And finally, the Heart is what gives you an identity. It is the source of your feelings, your emotions, and everything that make you who you are. The heart is the most complex and important of the three."

"So you're saying these…Nobody's… they are just emotionless creatures left over from someone who lost their heart to these Heartless?" Asked Colbert, making sure he fully comprehended this.

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows a bit as he looked down at the grass before nodding his head. "Your body and soul can live without the heart…but it is an existence that I would not wish on anyone."

Colbert was just staring at him through his spectacles, obviously trying to decide whether or not to believe his words.

"So…that means you're just what's left over after Sora lost his heart?" asked Amy as she scrunched her eyebrows. "That…sounds terrible."

"It does." Roxas replied as he looked up at them. "But it's true. People like me…Or Creatures like me…we are born when someone with a strong heart ends up a victim of the darkness. All that's left is…nothing. If Sora had never lost his heart, I would have never been born. In fact, I was never supposed to be born."

"So that's what you meant…when you said you never should have existed." Siesta said as she scrunched her eyebrows. "But…how can you say something like that! It sounds so…sad. Everyone deserves to exist."

"I am used to it." Roxas replied as a more solemn look crossed his face. "When I was created, I was found by an organization of Nobody's known as Organization 13."

"Organization 13?" asked Kirche.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "They were a group of Nobody's that wanted to be whole. They wanted to truly exist, and I was there 13th member. Our goal was rather complicated so I wont go into detail at the moment."

"There were only 13 of you?" Asked Jessica as she adopted a thinking pose. "Then these heartless must not be much of a threat. If there were only 13 Nobody's including you. That means only 13 people were a victim of the heartless, right?"

Roxas stared at her for a second before he shook his head. "No. There are different kinds of Nobody's. The Nobody's of Organization 13 were created of people who had exceptionally strong hearts. When the person fell victim of the darkness, the nobody that was created kept not only their original form, but most of the abilities they had when their heart was still intact."

Roxas raised his hand as he summoned the oathkeeper. "That is the reason I can wield the Keyblade. It was because I am the nobody of Sora." He said sadly, letting the weapon vanish in a flash of light.

Everyone who was listening could hear the sorrow in his voice as he said that. It sounded so depressing, almost as if everything about him wasn't truly his, but borrowed from someone else.

"That is…truly depressing." Colbert said as he pushed up his glasses. "But what of these other Nobody's you mentioned. What is created by those who have a…weaker heart?"

Roxas had a pitied look on his face as he thought about the lesser of his kind. "The lesser Nobody's have an even more sad existence than mine. They have a body, but are unable to think as clearly as Nobody's like me."

"What do you mean?" Asked Tabitha quietly.

"Lesser Nobody's are simply…there. They don't have instincts, memories, or even the capacity to think on their own. The only way they can act is if they are guided by someone…or something."

Everyone pondered this for a few moments. It was until they remembered what Roxas had mentioned earlier that they began to understand what he was implying.

"Organization 13 was able to control the lesser Nobody's, am I right?" asked Colbert.

Roxas nodded again. "The lesser Nobody's would listen to us because we were like them. We were Nobody's. We could guide them and they would follow our instruction. I mean, what else would they follow. Without instruction, they would just simply exist in the plane of nothingness."

"So, your plan. You claim that you may be able to control these Nobody's. But why do you have to leave to do that? Why cant you just call them here?" asked Louise.

"Its because I don't know if they will listen to me anymore."

"…"

"Why is that?" asked Amy.

"Its because…I now have a heart of my own." Roxas said as a ghost of a smile crossed his face.

Everyone was silent as they heard that. Just moments ago, Roxas had claimed that he was a Nobody, a being without a heart. Now however, he was saying that he has one.

"How? How do you just…get a heart?" Louise asked.

Roxas glanced at her before he turned his attention to Kirche and Tabitha. "Do you remember the conversation we had with the water spirit?"

Kirche rubber her chin as she tried to recall that adventure. Tabitha however, remembered it instantly.

"She said that you were growing your heart. I also remember you saying something like that after you healed my mother." She said as her eyes widened a bit.

"Now that you mention it." Kirche said as a few memories played back through her mind. "You did say that you were born without emotions and that you were learning to follow your heart. I thought you were just being methodical, but you were actually literal about that." Kirche said as she let out a small giggle. "All this time you have been dropping hints here and there about what you were."

Roxas nodded again. "The water spirit said that Nobody's like me have the ability to…grow a heart in the place of the one that was lost. In my case, since Sora's heart has already returned to him, through my experiences and the people I have met, a heart was bourn in this empty shell."

"That is very interested." Colbert said as he rubbed his chin. "So I assume that these…lesser nobody's that you mentioned…they lack this ability to…grow a heart."

Roxas nodded again. "They are not like us. However, their situation is not hopeless. Just after learning about my own heart, I realized something about Nobody's and Heartless. If the Nobody is destroyed, and the corresponding heartless is destroyed as well, then the person who was lost to the darkness will return."

Eyes widened a bit at this new information. A few relieved looks crossed their faces as well. It seemed that there was hope for a person if they were consumed by the darkness.

"But…what about you?" Ellie asked with a small voice.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You said that a person will return if his Nobody and Heartless are destroyed…But if Sora is already back, what does that mean for you?" Ellie asked as her eyes bore into him.

Everyone was silent for a moment before they looked over at Roxas. That was actually a really good question. Sora was already back, so what would happen to Roxas if he were destroyed.

Roxas looked back to the ground. "I was special among the Nobody's of Organization 13. I can only assume that because Sora had returned just moments after he became a heartless, I was born without emotions…and without memories."

"You didn't have any memories?"

Roxas shook his head. "I didn't. I had nothing. No heart, No emotions, no Memories, …Not even a name. When I was found, I was giving the name Roxas and the number 13. That was the only think I had…the only thing I was."

This new information further shocked his listeners. Ellie had tears streaming down her face as she listened to kind of existence Roxas had. She could not imagine what it would be like to simply stand there with literally nothing.

Ellie was not the only one that through that. The rest of them looked at Roxas in pity. It was difficult to understand what it would have been like to go through what he did.

Roxas laughed bitterly. "In a way, I was no different than the lesser Nobody's when I was first born. I simply followed the orders of the Organization, traveling to many worlds and mindlessly destroying the heartless. That was all I knew. That was all I had, and that's what I did."

Louise had a rare look of sadness on her face as she heard this story. It sounded so sad. She had it rough in her childhood because of her mother and older sister, but at least she had her other older sister and the princess to be there for her when she was down. She at least had a family.

But Roxas had nothing. He was literally…nothing. No one could really understand what that was like.

"But." Roxas continued, getting everyone to look at him.

"There was a person who showed me the ropes of the organization. His name was Axel."

"Ah. I remember you mentioning him before." Siesta said. Siesta herself was having a hard time listening to this tale when Roxas started to explain what he was. It hurt to hear him say these kinds of things so…nonchalantly.

"Yeah. Axel I would do missions together here and there. However, every day we would watch the sunset while eating sea-salt ice cream." Roxas said as he let out a small laugh. "We were the closest things to friends as Nobody's could be. There were even times that we speculated if it were possible for Nobody's to have hearts. I think that may have been the first time where my heart actually started to form."

Suddenly, a memory played back through Roxas's mind. It was of the last moment he spent with Xion. How she disappeared in his arms with a sad smile on her face.

"I had another friend, a girl named Xion."

"Xion. I remember you mentioning her as well." Tabitha said.

Roxas nodded. "She, Axel, and I were best friends. I was the one that trained her as a member of the organization." Roxas said as he gave a small laugh. "She was a lot like me when she first started. She didn't show much emotion, and would always ware her hood to hide her face. It took a long time before she finally spoke to me. After that, she quickly became friends with Axel and we would all go on crazy adventures to other worlds."

"Hm, that sounds interesting." Kirche said with a smile.

That was when Roxas's mood became sad again. "She was the 14th member of the organization. I…I don't really know the full story for some reason, but recently, I have been remembering things about her." He gave a long pause as he felt his throat choke up a bit.

"Roxas?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked up. Siesta had concern in her eyes when she saw the sad look in his face. Roxas swallowed the lump in the throat as he addressed them again.

"Sorry, the memories are not that pleasant. She died…right in my arms."

At learning this, Roxas was not the only was who was feeling sad now. The mood had just turned a bit more tolerable when he started to talk about his friends, but now he was saying that one of the only people he considered close had died in his arms. Just how much had he suffered?

"You know, it's…almost funny. I didn't think much about it when it happened, but when Xion died, I cried for the first time." Roxas said as he tried to squash the feeling of sadness. "A person who was supposed to lack a heart, crying. It's strange that I didn't see It earlier…the making of my own heart."

"What killed her?" asked Ellie?

"Organization 13."

Everyone's eyes widened a bit when they heard this.

"What? Why would they do that? They sounded like an ok group to me. They would go around to different worlds and destroy heartless." Amy Kirche exclaimed.

"But they would also destroy everyone else that got in their way. They didn't care about anyone but themselves. They believed that they could be hole if they collected hearts from the heartless."

"And why is that a bad thing?" asked Siesta.

"Because they had no problem turning people into heartless so there hearts could be collected."

A gasp went through the listeners as there mouths dropped open. They could not believe what they were hearing. This organization would deliberately kill people and turn them into heartless so their hearts could be collected. They wanted to have hearts, but didn't would sacrifice others in order to achieve their goal.

"KYU, This story is bad!" Irukukwu exclaimed as she wrapped around Tabitha's arm tighter.

"I can only suspect that Xion found out what they were planning and tried to stop it. Xion was always a very kind person and would never allow that to happen. So she was killed. That's when I realized the true colors of the Organization. I left and tried to stop them, but I was stopped before I could do anything…by the same person who tried to kill Sora before. His best friend Riku."

"Tried to kill Sora before…" Colbert said as he stroked his chin in through. "Are you talking about the one that crafted the Keyblade?" asked Colbert

"Yes. He had a change of heart, and tried desperately to right his wrongs. But he needed me to do it."

"What do you mean?" asked Siesta.

Roxas gave a deep sigh as he looked up at her. "Sora needed to destroy the Organization…To protect the worlds from falling victim to their scheme. But there was only one problem."

"Which was?"

"I held half of Sora's power…and it was time I give it back to him."

"How?"

"By becoming apart of him again."

There was silence again as Roxas continued. He was getting a lot of looks that clearly told him that they didn't understand where he was going with this, so Roxas decided to elaborate.

"To make it easier to understand, I had to give up my existence so Sora had the power he needed to defeat Organization 13. So I did just that. I gave up everything and together, Riku, Sora, and I defeated Organization 13. Since I was apart of Sora again, I simply didn't exist anymore."

Siesta felt her throat chock up a bit as she continued to listen to Roxas's tale. It was so incredibly sad. He started with nothing, and had to give up everything in the end. It's no wonder he didn't want to share anything about his past with them. Not only was it really complicated, but it was also depressing. Why did he have to suffer so much?

"That was the second time Sora saved all the worlds. He defeated the leader of Organization 13, and that was it. I was no more, fated to fade away into nothingness."

By this time, most that were listening had tears in there eyes. Roxas's past was incredibly depressing and they didn't know how he dealt with it.

Roxas then looked at Louise. "Do you remember what I said to you at the ball?"

 _You gave me the chance to exist._

"I gave you the chance to exist." Louise whispered a she looked up at him.

Roxas nodded. "I was supposed to just disappear. But somehow, you summoned me from the void. I now exist, and have the chance to be someone." He said as he raised his hand and rested it over his heart. He smiled slightly as he felt it beating beneath his chest.

"And I can feel it. With everyone's help…" he said as he looked around. "My heart has been growing. I am learning how to feel. I am becoming somebody."

"That is…Quite the story. It is a lot to absorb and even more difficult to understand. I am still wondering whether or not to believe you though." Colbert said as he pushed up his glasses again.

"Whether you believe me or not, that is up to you. I don't really care, but it will help you to understand what I must do now." Roxas said as his eyes filled with determination.

"And that is?"

"I have to find the lesser Nobody's. Now that Organization 13 is gone, they have no one to guide them. And even though I have a heart now, I was still born from the loss of Sora's heart. I am still…a Nobody. That may be enough for them to listen to me."

"But what if they don't listen to you? What then?" Asked Louise.

"I don't know. They could attack, they could do nothing, but I will not summon them here until I know for sure. I will not risk the safety of my friends. Not again."

"So…you would put yourself in danger instead?" Siesta said, her eyes narrowing a little.

"Yes." Roxas replied with no hesitation. "I have been fighting my whole life. I have a greater chance to survive. Besides, I was never supposed to exist in the fist place, so if I do die, it will mean nothing. After all…" he said as he looked at the grass in front of him, a bit of sadness entering his heart again.

"It's the fate of a Nobody."

SMACK

Roxas's head jerked to the side as he felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek. His eyes widened a bit as he looked up to see Siesta standing there, her hand in the air after it had just struck his face. For some reason, his heart felt a bit heavy when he saw tears streaming down her face.

"What's wrong with you? How could you say that it would mean nothing! What about us? What about the people who have grown to care about you? How do you think we would feel if you suddenly died…if you never returned? Did you learn nothing when you saw your friend Xion die? Do you think we wouldn't feel that same about you?" Siesta cried as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

Roxas stared at her with wide eyes. He then looked around at everyone else. They were in a similar state as her. He did not expect this kind of answer. Usually people would just see the Nobody's as a person who was not supposed to be, so what was the point in actually caring for them.

"But…I just told you what I am. I am nothing. Why would you care for a Nothing?"

Roxas saw Siesta approach again. He closed his eyes, waiting for another slap, but instead, he felt two soft arms around his neck and a weight on his shoulder. He looked to the side to realize that Siesta had wrapped him in a hug and was resting her chin on his shoulder as she sat between his legs.

"Do you really need to ask why?" Siesta asked into his ear. "Do you feel my heart?"

Roxas paused as he felt a foreign thump against his chest. It was obviously Siesta's heart he could feel as she squeezed him tighter.

"What is it telling you? Do you really think that I…or anyone here would think any different of you just because of what you are?...What you were?"

Roxas paused again as he looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened a bit when he noticed the looks on everyone's face.

Kirche had a gentle smile on her face before it turned sultry. "Now that I know a little more about you, I can see why you could resist my charm so well. It seems I have a lot to teach you."

Amy and Jessica looked at each other for a moment before they grinned at him. "Just be sure to visit the inn every once in a while. We aren't like the nobles…." Amy started

"Hey!" Louise barked while Kirche was shot a small pout in there direction.

"Well…Most nobles. We don't discriminate, even against…A Nothing." Jessica finished. They both smiled at him, giving him an indication that they were joking around.

"Yeah! We don't care Roxas. Your still the best!" Ellie said before she pouted at Siesta. She wanted to hug Roxas right now.

"Whether you are a Nobody or not, you are still my familiar." Louise said as she turned a little red from embarrassment. "And…what kind of master would I be if I doubted you now."

Roxas blinked a few times. Now he felt guilty about hiding the fact that he wasn't her familiar anymore from her. He didn't expect that from the usually prideful Louise.

"It sure is fascinating, but I could care less. As long a you continue to protect my precious student, it does not matter to me what you are." Colbert said with a smile.

"KYU, Roxas! You are still one of my best friends." Irukukwu said with a fanged grin.

Lastly, Roxas looked over at Tabitha for a moment. They seemed to stare t each other for the longest time before he saw a ghost of a smile form on her face. She gave simple nod, which spoke volumes to the Nobody.

Roxas felt tears well up in his crystal blue eye, as he looked at all these people who didn't care about what he was. They were people that cared about him, people that would be sad if he were gone.

His friends.

Roxas reached over Siestas shoulder as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"You…you will never understand what this means to me. I care about every one of you…but that is why..." He started as he gently grasped Siesta's shoulders and pushed here away until he could see her eyes. They were a little red from crying, but she had gotten ahold of herself for the most part.

"That is why I must go."

"Roxas-"

"I promise though." He said, interrupting Siesta. "I promise that I will come back. This is something that I need to do." He said as he took her hand and placed it on his chest. "This is something my heart is telling me to do."

Siesta paused as she felt his heart beat beneath her hand. She knew that Roxas's mind was made up. Slowly, she reached up with her other hand and grasped his coat. Gently, she pulled herself closer until she was rested her head against this shoulder again.

"Don't die…Please. Don't Disappear." She whispered.

Roxas nodded as he wrapped his arms gently around her back. They stayed there for a few seconds before he gently pushed her away. Both of them stood up, but Siesta was still pinching the edge of his coat.

Roxas looked at the rest of his friends before he took a deep breath. "I will return. I need to protect my home."

"Don't do anything stupid Roxas. Who will be the hero of the Fairies if your not there?" Jessica said with a sly grin.

"But look who we are talking to." Amy said as she rolled her eyes. "This is Roxas, the person who runs in swinging, not caring who his opponent is. Of coarse he is going to do something stupid." She said before she looked up at him. "Just, come back alive. It won't be the same without you."

Roxas chuckled a bit as he nodded. He then felt a tug on his other sleeve. He looked down to notice Ellie had somehow snuck over to him and grasped a handful of his coat. He raised an eyebrow as he heard her sniff and saw a few tears falling from her eyes.

"Roxas."

Roxas reached down and ruffled her brown hair, though this time she didn't respond like she usually did. So, he knelt down and tried to look her in the eyes, but with her head down, it was difficult.

"Ellie." He said as he raised her chin. Her eyes were watery as she sniffed again. Quickly, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Roxas, you will always be there to protect us…right?" She asked.

Roxas gave a sigh as he wrapped his arm around her back and gently stroked her hair. "If I am to protect everyone, I will need some help. But again, I promise," he said as he pulled her away and looked into her eyes. "I will be back."

Ellie nodded as she slowly lowered her arms. She still hung her head as a few tears fell from her eyes. Roxas felt extremely bad about leaving her like this, but he needed to move quickly. Who knew when Albion would launch their first attack?

He stood up and turned to walk away, but was immediately met with a mop of red hair and another pair of arms around his neck. Obviously this was Kirche, but this hug was a lot more soft then her usual aggressive style. It only lasted a second though as she pulled away.

"You better come back Roxas. It will be a new achievement to seduce someone who lacked emotions at one point." She said softly.

Roxas blinked a few times before he gave a small, awkward laugh. He reached up and patted her on the shoulder before he turned his attention to Louise and Colbert.

"Since this is to help our country without loosing many lives, I will permit you to take this mission…Just…Come back safe, ok?" Louise said as her face turned red from embarrassment again.

Roxas grinned a little. "Never knew you cared so much."

"I do…I just…Just shut up!" she exclaimed as she turned away, her face red again.

Roxas laughed a bit as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around to notice Colbert standing there. "You say you are from another world. When you get back, I would love to hear about it. Please be safe. You have a lot of people that care for you here."

"Thank you." Roxas said as he gave one last look at the surrounding people.

His friends.

He then turned into and walked into the forest, leaving them all behind.

Roxas needed to get his emotion in check before he would leave to find the Nobody's. Now that he was alone, he took a few deep breaths to try and calm his heart. He was still a bit choked up that they all had such strong feelings toward him. That actually cared for him despite what he was.

"Ok." Roxas said, readying himself to leave his home. Surprisingly, he found this a bit more difficult that he actually thought. He really didn't want to leave this world, leave the people that he cared for…and cared for him in return.

"KYU! WAIT!"

"Huh?" Roxas turned, only to be met with a familiar blur. This time though, he managed to stabilize himself before he was rammed by the energetic Rhyme dragon.

Irukukwu launched at him before wrapping her arms and legs around his body. She latched on tight, to the point where she was nearly constricting the air out of him.

"Irukukwu, You're choking me!" Roxas gasped as he patted her back.

The dragoness lessened her hold on the poor nobody, but still clung to him, her face buried in his shoulder.

"I don't want you to go. What if we never see you again? Why can't you take us with you?" Irukukwu cried.

Roxas paused as he felt his heart grow a little heavy at making the innocent girl cry.

"She has a point. Why can't we go with you?"

Roxas turned his head to see Tabitha standing there, a concerned look on her face.

Giving a small sigh, Roxas gingerly pushed Irukukwu shoulders away. She reluctantly released him from her grip before she stood on her feet in front of him.

"The reason I can't take any of you is because I am going to another world…through the corridor of Darkness."

"The corridor of Darkness? You mean that teleport ability you use?" Asked Irukukwu.

"Yes. That is actually a very dangerous method to travel between worlds. It's like walking through a hallway with an entrance and an exit. The only problem is that you're directly exposed to the darkness while you travel through them. The only reason I am able to use them safely is because of this." He said as he grasped the fabric of his coat.

"Why? What is that coat?"

"This was worn by the members of the Organization. It is specifically designed to repel the darkness. That is why none of you can come with me. If your heart is continually exposed to the darkness, it will consume you."

"Muuu" Irukukwu wined as she pinched the bridge of his coat. She could not argue with what he said. Based on his story, the darkness was very dangerous and she didn't want to be turned into one of these 'Heartless'

"So you are putting yourself in danger once again…by using this ability." Asked Tabitha as she narrowed her eyes a little.

"Yes. It is the only way." Roxas said as he gingerly grasped Irukukwu's hand and removed it from his coat.

"Roxas."

"You can't stop me Tabitha. I have to do this."

"I wasn't going to stop you. I know how stubborn you can be." She replied as she walked up to him. A small blush formed on her face as she reached for the collar of his coat and pulled him down slightly. She then quickly pecked his cheek before she let him go.

Roxas felt his face flare up as he touched the place where she kissed him. Tabitha had never done that before. Currently, she was looking down at the ground. It looked like steam was coming from off of the top of her head.

Suddenly, he felt something soft on his other cheek. Turning his head, he saw the fanged smile of Irukukwu as she pulled her head away.

"Chu. I kissed Roxas!" She said happily as she bounded over to Tabitha and hugged her from behind.

Roxas felt his heart beat a little faster as he looked at the duo, but he didn't have time to wonder why his heart would race every time that happened to him. He gave them a small smile before he extended his hand. Immediately, the corridor of darkness erupted from the ground, its wispy entrance beckoning him to enter.

One last time, Roxas looked at the two of them before he gave a small smile. "See you soon." He said before he turned around and walked through the entrance.

* * *

The rain was falling heavily from the sky as the Corridor of darkness appeared in an empty alleyway. Roxas frowned as he felt the cold drops gently land on his head. Looking up into the sky, he really had mixed feelings about being here again. He had many good memories of this place…but even more that were not so pleasant.

"Never though I would return here." Roxas said out loud as he glanced up at the massive, broken, heart-shaped moon. Just below it was the castle where he had spent the majority of his life. It looked like nothing had ever changed since he had last come here, besides the fact it was even more empty than usual.

Suddenly, darkness erupted from the ground in front of Roxas, causing him to summon the Oblivion to his hand. The darkness soon took a form that Roxas knew all to well. Its beady yellow eyes and long antenna were highly distinguishable.

"Neoshadows." Roxas whispered as he shook his head. "This place really hasn't changed at all." The Neoshadow lunged at Roxas, but he quickly sidestepped it before bringing his keyblade down on top of its head. Immediately, the Neoshadow exploded as the darkness dispersed. However, Roxas knew he was not done. He looked over his shoulder to see more heartless crawling out of the ground, most of them Neoshadows. They surrounded him on all sides.

"This feel really familiar." Roxas said to himself as he summoned the oathkeeper to his other hand. He spun them before they clashed with each other, sending a few sparking to the ground. He crouched down as he got into his battle stance, waiting for the heartless to make their move.

Immediately, the Neoshadows lunged at him as he charged into the midst of them.

* * *

Louise had returned to the academy shortly after Roxas had revealed the big secret about himself. If she were being honest with herself, she would have to say that it was incredibly difficult to believe what he had said. The only things that were stopping her from outright not believing him was witnessing firsthand what had happened to Wales, seeing everything that Roxas could do, but most importantly, it was the look in his eye.

During the whole conversation, He did not waver once. The sheer about of honestly in his eyes could not be refuted in any way. Everything he had said was true. And truthfully, I scared her a little.

Who knew that creatures like the Heartless could exist, and Roxas had been fighting them his whole life. That did explain his incredible skills as a fighter, but she had to agree a little with Professor Colbert. No one that young should have fight creatures like that, epically for how long Roxas had done so.

And to hear about his very existence. When she heard Roxas say that he wasn't supposed to exist, just hearing something like that was almost sickening. But that was what Roxas was. He would have never existed in the first place if that boy…Sora… had never lost his heart.

She could not understand what it would have been like to have that in the back of you mind for your entire life.

But now that she knew what he was…and what he had been through, she could understand why he was content with so little. It was because he basically had nothing in the first place. Even though she suffered from her…overly strict mother and sister, Louise had everything she could ever want besides being able to cast magic properly, however because of that, she was never satisfied with what she had.

After hearing Roxas's story, it was a lot easier to understand his thought process. If he never had it in the first place, why would he care about status, money, power…anything that the nobles desired and sought?

No

He really only cared that he existed, and that he had friends he wanted to protect. In a way, that was very admirable…Louise even felt a little envious of her familiar. She envied that he was so content when he literally had next to nothing.

Louise was not the only one with these thoughts. Kirche and Tabitha had retreated to Kirche's room in order to fully absorb what they had just learned about the mysterious boy.

"I knew Roxas was an enigma, but to think his story would be something like this." Kirche said as she rubbed her temples.

Tabitha gave a nod as she sat down on the edge of Kirche's bed. She didn't even have her book with her this time.

"Sad."

"You can say that again." Kirche responded as she sat next to her friend. Irukukwu flopped on the bed behind the two of them and hugged Tabitha from behind.

"When do you think Roxas will be back? I miss him already." Irukukwu whined.

Kirche giggled as she reached back and patted the dragoness on the head. "He just left. Give him some time. Roxas is an honest person. If he makes a promise, you know he will keep it."

"Muu! I know." Irukukwu whined as she rested her chin on Tabitha's head.

Kirche giggled again before she rested her hands in her lap, deep in thought. "You know, I would have never guessed that was Roxas's backstory, but ever since we first met him, there were things that he would say…and do that really didn't make sense."

Tabitha nodded in agreement. "After he gave me that Elixir to heal m mother, he mentioned that he was growing his heart. At the time, I had no idea what the meant." She said as she rested her chin on her intertwined fingers. "But now it all makes sense."

"Yeah it does." Kirche said, as she laughed a bit. "The first time I tried to seduce him, I thought for sure that I had him. But he turned around and asked me what love was. Can you imagine how shocked I was?" Kirche asked as she giggled a little more.

A small smile formed on Tabitha's lip. "Yes. You came to my room and complained about what happened, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I did, didn't I?" she said a she rested a finger on her chin. "But now I know why. Roxas wasn't really born they way we are. He was more…created than anything. So he never had parents to tell him what love is…Tabitha!" Kirche said as she suddenly looked at her friend.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with a raised eyebrow.

"He said that Sora was around 14 when he lost his heart, right?" Kirche asked, causing Tabitha to nod. "But Roxas doesn't even look 17 yet. Does that mean Roxas is less than three years old?"

Tabitha thought about it for a while. It did make sense the way Kirche had explained it. "It is possible."

"Awe!" Kirche said as her head fell, a storm cloud forming over her. "Does that mean I'm like a pedophile?"

If Tabitha were any other person, she would have probably burst out laughing at this point. However, that was a very strange way to think about it. She reached over to pat Kirche on the back, but the redhead suddenly raised her head with a large smile.

"It doesn't matter. If Roxas is a three year old, he is one sexy three year old. That gives the saying "Mature for your age" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?"

Again, Tabitha had a small smile on her face as she listened to Kirche's rationalization. It was times like these that she was really happy to have her as a friend.

 _Knock Knock_

Kirche and Tabitha turned their attention towards the door. Tabitha sent Irukukwu a look before the dragoness nodded. She hid beneath the covers as Kirche stood from the bed and walked over to the door. Upon opening it, she saw one of the academy maids standing there.

"I am sorry to bother you Mistress Zerbst, but the headmaster has called for an assembly. Please meet down in the dining hall." She said.

"Thank you dear." Kirche said as she watched maid give a quick bow and move on to the next door.

"Well, tabby, I think we both know what this is about." Kirche said as she stood next to the open door.

Tabitha nodded as she stood and walked up to Kirche. "Irukukwu, stay here."

Irukukwu only gave a muffled reply that sounded like a snore. Tabitha sweat dropped as she realized her familiar had fallen asleep already.

* * *

Siesta had returned to her family's house after the talk with Roxas. She, Jessica, Amy, and Ellie all had a lot on their mind as they walked home, leaving little conversation between them.

When they walked in the door, they were greeted by Richard who automatically noticed that Roxas was gone. When he asked, Siesta just said that he returned to the academy with his master, Louise. Richard and Rachel were both disappointed that he left without saying goodbye, but quickly got over it.

Siesta walked up to her room before throwing herself on her bed, the conversation she had with Roxas playing through her mind. She had no idea that he had gone through so much. But it also explained everything as well.

Remembering the time they took a bath together, recalled Roxas saying that he had a lot to learn about emotions, but at the time, she thought he was just being methodical…But he literally didn't know.

Everything made so much sense now. Every time he would ask a question about emotions, it was because his heart was telling him things that his mind didn't understand. He didn't know why his heart raced when they shared a bed, why his face would turn red when they shared a bath together or when she kissed his cheek. He literally didn't know.

In a way, it was embarrassing because Siesta had assumed he was nervous or shy…Maybe he still way, but just hadn't realized it yet.

With those thoughts, Siesta mind went a different direction. If Roxas didn't know about these things, then how in the world would he understand something like love? Even people who have experience emotions their entire life didn't fully understand love. So how would he deal with something like romance? How would he understand it?"

Siesta gave a sigh as she buried her face in her pillow. It looked like if she wanted a relationship with Roxas, they would have to take it really slow.

However, now that she was thinking back, Roxas did react the way most boys would when she made her moves. Despite not knowing why his body reacted the way it did, he still reacted. His heart still raced, and he gave off the impression that he was shy whenever physical contact was involved…so maybe this wont is as difficult as she thought.

* * *

Kirche, Louise, and Tabitha were all listening as Osmond rattled off about the academy having to close for an unforeseeable future because of the war that was declared between Tristan and Albion. In that time, most of the boys would be recruited to partake in the battle.

The only problem?

Princess Henrietta herself would be leading the army into battle. Naturally, this inspired great fear in Louise. She needed to be there for her childhood friend. Since Kirche and Tabitha didn't have anywhere else to go, they decided to stay at the academy.

It was a long carriage ride later until she reached the palace. There was a multitude of people already there that has sworn their loyalty to the princess in order to fight for their country. When Louise finally showed up, Henrietta immediately sought her out and arranged for a privet room for them to meet in.

"Louise. I am so happy you are here right now." Henrietta said as she rushed forward and embraced her friend.

"Always your highness." Louse replied as she hugged her back.

"Louise, what have I said about calling me that?" Henrietta said with a gentle smile before she looked around in confusion. "Where's Roxas?"

Louise bit her lower lip as she looked up at Henrietta. How was she going to explain this one to her? She barely understood it as it was.

"Um, he is not here."

"Where is he? We are in great need of his strength for this war."

"He…it's really complicated." Louise replied.

"Well, I have time." Henrietta said as she sad down on a chair, beckoning Louise to do the same. "Please explain what happened."

Louise reluctantly took a seat before she started to retell Roxas's tale.

* * *

Roxas rolled his shoulder as he walked through the castle in the world that never was. He had encountered a lot of heartless, but they were still no match for him. However, the curious part is that he had not seen a single Nobody. Usually the castle was full of them, but now it was just full of heartless.

Roxas cocked his head to the side as another Neoshadow thrust its wispy hand at his face. He immediately, slashed upwards at the heartless, causing it disperse into particles of darkness.

Still, walking through the castle, it did bring back a lot of memories. How he was first introduced into the organization, and how he was given missions by Siax.

Roxas ducked as another heartless tried to surprise him by attacking from behind. He waited until the heartless was right above his head before he thrust up with his Oblivion. He completely skewered the heartless and watched as it dispersed.

As he walked through the castle, he had to wonder. Did any of the organization know that Xemnas's plan was a lie? He was proof of it. He didn't need the power of Kingdom hearts to obtain a heart. That happened naturally through experiences. However, if that was the case, then why did Xemnas need those hearts? What was the point of Kingdom hearts?

He continued to have these thoughts as he wondered through the castle, looking for any sign of the Nobody's. So far, he had only see heartless…and they were everywhere.

"Hmm." Roxas hummed as he watched another heartless disperse, curtsy of his keyblade. "Where are they?"

As he continued to walk around the castle, he began to feel a bit nostalgic, epically when he passed by Axel's room. He paused for a moment before he looked over at the door. Curiosity struck him as he pushed it open.

Just as he suspected, it was completely empty. Why would axel still be here anyway? Roxas was there when he faded away.

 _You take care…Okay?_

 _Right back at ya…Buddy."_

That was the last time he saw Axel. Roxas gave a sad sigh as he turned to leave, however, just before he did, something caught his eyes on the side of Axel's bed. Walking over to it, Roxas looked on the nightstand before his eyes widened a bit. He reached down to pick up a small wooden object…an ice-cream stick with only one word on it.

"Winner." Roxas read out loud as memories played through his mind. He and axel would always joke about never being able to get the winner ice cream. And when he finally did, that's when everything went to hell.

Giving a small sigh, Roxas pocketed the stick before he left the room. He walked down the hallway again before he reached his own room. Getting curious again, he walked up to the door and pushed it open. Immediately, a wave of nostalgia washed over him as memories of the time he spent in the room resurfaced.

 _I went to a new world today Roxas. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I hope…that you can join me next time._

"Xion" Roxas murmured as he recalled the memory. Even through he was in a comma at that time, he could hear everything she would say.

Looking at his bed, something caught his eye. Walking over, he reached next to the bedside before he plucked something up. His eyes widened a little when he recognized what it was.

A seashell.

Xion always like seashells, and would collect them every time she visited the ocean.

Suddenly, a stabbing pain shot through Roxas's mind, causing him to collapse on his knees. "Arg" Roxas gasped as he clutched his head in his hands.

* * *

 _"_ _Roxas, I'm out of time." Xion said as she stood up. Roxas could only watch in confusion before she removed her hood. That was when Roxas's eyes widened immensely. Instead of Xion's face, he was staring at someone completely different._

 _Sora._

 _"_ _Even if I'm not ready, I have to make this choice. You have poured so many memories into me…given me so much, that I feel like I am about to overflow." She said as she turned her head to look at him._

 _"_ _Look at me Roxas, who do you see? If you see somebody else's face…a boy's face…than that means I am almost ready. This puppet will have to play her part. Roxas…This is him. Its Sora."_

 _Roxas could only look at her in confusion. What in the world was going on? Why did she look like that?_

 _Suddenly, Xion walked forward, as if she was walking on thin air before she flipped her hood back on and turned towards him. She extended her arm, and with a more sinister voice, she said._

 _"_ _Your next Roxas, I have to make you a part of me too." She said as darkness began to form around her, causing the air to ripple with power. "Don't you see, this was why I was created."_

That was when the memories of the battle between Roxas and Xion played through the Nobody's mind. Roxas watched as he Xion attacked him, but in the end, he was able to overpower her, to the point where he finally defeated her. In the end, Roxas watched as her face returned to normal.

 _"_ _Who are you…again. It's weird, I feel like I am forgetting something really important." Roxas said as he massaged his forehead._

 _"_ _You'll be better off now…Roxas." Xion said as she began to fall._

 _Roxas rushed forward and caught her before she hit the ground. However, just as he did that, particles of light began to emit from her being._

 _"_ _Am I…the one who did this to you?_

 _"_ _No. It was my choice…to go away now. Better that… than to do nothing, and let Xemnas have his way. I belong with Sora…And now, I am going back…to be with him."_

 _Roxas could only watch in confusion as this strange person continued to evaporate in his arms. Suddenly, she touched his hand, getting his attention._

 _"_ _Roxas, I need you…to do me a favor. All those hearts that I have captured…Kingdom hearts, set them free!"_

 _Now Roxas was even more confused. How were the hearts trapped? Why did he need to free them? "Kingdom hearts? Free them?" he asked before he noticed that the lower half of her body was starting to disappear._

 _"_ _Its too late, for me to undo my mistakes. But you can't let Xemnas have Kingdom heart. You can't."_

 _Now Roxas was thoroughly confused. Why did he need to stop Xemnas? Wasn't it their plan to use kingdom hearts so they could be whole?_

 _"_ _Goodbye Roxas." The girl said as she reached up with her hand. "See you again. I'm glad…I got to meet you. Oh, and of course…axel to. Your broth my best friends."_

 _Roxas felt her hand on his cheek as he watched her continue to disappear._

 _"_ _Never forget, that's the truth."_

 _It was that instant, that all the memories of Xion suddenly returned to the Nobody. All the times they spent together on missions, all the times they enjoyed each other company on Twilight tower while eating sea-salt ice cream._

 _As Xions hand fell from his face, Roxas immediately grabbed it out of the air. "NO! Xion! Who will I have ice cream with." Was the only thing he could say at the moment. However, his words did nothing to stop her from disappearing. He watched helplessly as she evaporated into particles of light, leaving nothing behind…nothing except a pink seashell._

 _"_ _Xion." Roxas whispered as he felt tears roll down his cheek._

* * *

Roxas blinked a few times as the memory ended. Now he had a clear picture of what happened to Xion. Is wasn't the members of the organization that killed her.

No.

It was him.

He was the one that killed his best friend.

Roxas felt tears roll down his cheeks as he clasped the seashell in his hand. Based on the memory, it seemed that Xion had found out what Xemnas was really up to. And also, it revealed the reason why Xion was created. She was a puppet that was meant to copy Roxas's ability to the point where the organization didn't need him anymore. They would use her to be there key barer to collect hearts. The perfect puppet that would bend to there every will.

It seemed that Xion knew what they were planning, so she had Roxas kill her so they would loose that asset.

"Xion." Roxas whispered as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "It seems that you sacrificed even more than I did." He said, finally knowing the whole story behind the mysterious girl in his memories. "I…I wish I could have done something for you."

 _You already did._

Roxas's eyes widened, as he looked around frantically. He swore he had heard something, but he was the only one in the room. There was nothing in this castle except for heartless.

"I must be tired." Roxas said, his memories making him emotionally exhausted. Looking at the bed, Roxas walked over to it at sat down on the edge. His body seemed to agree, as he felt 10 times more tired. He threw his legs over the edge, resting his back against the soft mattress before he closed his eyes, holding the seashell close to him as he fell asleep.

* * *

Kida flew through the air before he landed roughly on his back, The Forgotten Light falling from his grasp.

"Aug!" he gasped as he caught up a bit of blood. His body was covered in bruises and cuts from his battle with his former student, Xehanort. He slowly tried to sit up, but found it really difficult because of the extreme amount of pain his body was in.

Xehanort was standing there, a grin on his face. The only indication that a fight had taken place was a small scuffling of his cloths. He had his keyblade resting on his shoulder as he looked down at his master.

"It seems that your age is finally effecting you." Xehanort said with a condescending grin.

Kida didn't say anything as he felt the dark power he tried to use against Xehanort fade away, leaving him even more weak than before. He glanced down at the ground before spotting his keyblade. Immediately, he tried to reach for it, but was met with an incredible amount of pain as Xehanort appeared in front of him and slashed him across the chest.

Kida hacked up more blood as he crashed to the ground again, even further away from his keyblade.

Xehanort shook his head as he looked down at the old man. "You know, when the battle started, there was a chance where you could have won."

Kida looked up as he narrowed his eyes.

"You always said that Light was more powerful than the darkness. Have you ever once heard me say that was a false statement? Darkness may be powerful, but light will always cast it away. Had you used it, you have been able to put up more of a fight." He taunted.

Kida grit his teeth as he realized that Xehanort was right. He had lost himself to his own anger and channeled the power of darkness…

Suddenly, Kida's eyes widened as he clenched his teeth.

"You planed this didn't you?"

"I did. The moment you used the darkness to try and defeat me, that was the moment you lost. You always did have a quick temper, so all I had to do was mention your favorite student. I knew you would loose it."

Kida grit his teeth as he realized Xehanort was completely right. He had done what he always advised against. He had succumbed to the darkness…and it yet again left devastating consequences.

However.

"Xehanort, why would you do this? Why is the darkness so appealing to you? What is the point of all this power if you don't use it to protect people?"

It was briefly there for an instant, but Kida saw it. A vague look of sorrow that crossed over Xehanort's face before he quickly covered it up.

"The hearts is truly a curious thing. It can bring you great joy and happiness…" He said as he looked away from Kida.

Kida's eyes widened again as he saw a more longing look in Xehanort's eye.

"But…It is also the source of despair, sorrow, anger, jealousy, regret, misery, hopelessness, anguish…So many terrible things that you wonder if it is even worth it to have a heart. And you know the main reason why people feel this way?" He asked.

Kida narrowed his eyes, but continued to listen.

"It is because of other people. Where they bring happiness, they can also bring greater sorrow, they can fill the gabs in your heart, but can also leave you to the suffering of loneliness" Xehanort said as he looked Kida dead in the eye.

Kida nearly flinched at the lifeless look on Xehanort's face.

"Or they can caused feeling of love, but that can also quickly turn to hate and anger. A long time ago, I contemplated the heart and wondered if it was even worth it to have one." He said before a grin crossed over his face. "So I opened my heart to the darkness. It took away my pain, my hate…my sadness. I renamed myself Xehanort, which is appropriate, don't you think? No heart, crossed with an X."

Kida stared up at his student as he pondered his words. To a degree, Xehanort had a point. However, he was missing the greater picture. Suddenly, the old Keyblade master looked at his former student with a new expression.

Xehanort noticed this look before a frown formed on his face. "What is with that look your giving me?"

"I pity you Xehanort. Just because you couldn't handle suffering, you gave up everything. Now you are cursed to wonder the worlds with no purpose. No one to fight for, no one to love. It's a sad existence that I would never want."

For the first time, Kida saw Xehanort loose a bit of his composure. "Don't patronize me Kida. I have achieved what most people only dream of having. I can live forever."

"But at what cost? You are consumed by your own hate, allowing the darkness to influence your mind. You live for no one but yourself. What a hollow, and empty existence." Kida said as he shook his head.

"Shut your mouth Kida." Xehanort growled, his hands clenched into fists.

"Despite being as old as you are, you are still a selfish little brat that runs from his problems. It seems that not even eternity can change some people. You're weak Xehanort. Only the truly strong can bare the burdens of the heart."

"…"

Kida watched as darkens began to emit from Xehanort's body. "You just sealed your fate." He said as he raised his keyblade. "This is the end for you, Master Kida."

"I am old, Xehanort. I will be passing soon." He said before he raised his hand. "But that day is not today."

Suddenly, Xehanort was met with a massive amount of pain from his back. Kida's Keyblade had changed into its glider form as it rammed into the distracted man. Xehanort was thrown forward and crashed on his stomach as Kida jumped into the air and landed on the glider.

Xehanort only had time to look up, only to notice that the glider's Mega laser was completely charged, and aiming straight at him.

"…So this was your plan? Distract me so you could concentrate on charging your glider with you own magic. I have to admit, I am impressed Kida."

"Don't try and flatter me, Xehanort. During this whole battle, the forgotten light has been siphoning my magic from me." He said as he hovered his hand over the Firing bottom. "All I had to do was wait for the opportune moment." He finished as he slammed his hand on the button. Immediately, a massive beam shot from the bottom of the glider, heading straight for Xehanort's figure. The beam hit the ground with a devastating explosion, sending rocks, dust, and debris flying in all directions.

Kida shielded his face from the explosion as the wind whipped violently through his hair.

It took a while for the dust to settle, but when it finally did, Kida lowered his arms to see a large crater where his mega laser had struck. There was no sign of Xehanort, so Kida could only assume that he was destroyed in the blast.

"I am sorry, Xehanort." Kida whispered, trying to hold the tears back from killing his own student.

"I'm not."

Kida didn't even have time to react as he felt pain erupt on his back. He was sent flying from his glider as he hit the ground on his front. The glider turning back into a keyblade before it fell to the ground.

Slowly, Kida pushed himself to his knees as he looked around. His eyes widened when he saw Xehanort standing there. Right behind him, there was a wispy pillar of darkness that seemed to be the source f his escape.

"W-What? How?" Kida gasped.

Xehanort would have smiled triumphantly, but he was actually clipped by a portion of the laser. He had blood dripping from his torso from a large gash across his side. He was also holding his limp arm, which was also gushing blood from a large wound.

"I-I am impressed. I have not been injured like this in a long time. But you are in worse condition, Kida. You will not be able to survive these your wounds, so I will leave you here to die. Farewell." Xehanort said as he turned to enter the strange portal.

Kida grit his teeth as he tried to push himself up. Using the last of his strength, he forced himself to his feet and extended his hand. Immediately, he forgotten light appeared in his clenched fist. Kida then punched his shoulder plate, equipping his armor as he used his remaining strength to rush at Xehanort.

However, Xehanort looked over his shoulder with a grin as he saw the approaching man.

"You are so predictable. Kida." He said as he ducked under the keyblade, spun around so he was behind the old master, and shoved him through he wispy portal. Kida could only look around in shock before the portal closed. The last thing he saw was Xehanort's tired, but victorious smile.

He was only in the darkness for a few moments before he roughly hit the ground on his back. He coughed up more blood as he felt his vision fade. He didn't have any more strength left, and he knew Xehanort was right. He was not going to survive much longer.

"I-I have to warn him. I have to warn Eraqus." Kida gasp. Using sheer willpower alone, he pushed himself to a seated position. He raised the forgotten light and was about to open a passage to the land of departure.

 _RAWR!_

Kida suddenly looked to his side, only to see a massive creature standing over a white-haired man. The creature looked like a massive dragon, and Kida watched as the other man raised his staff. The creature however simply batted it away like it was nothing before it opened its mouth wide, ready to consume the man where he stood.

Without even thinking, Kida pointed The Forgotten Light at the dragon.

THUNDERGA

What was left of Kida's magic was used as a massive bolt of lighting fell from the sky and obliterated the dragon where it stood.

Blinking a few times, Kida realized what he had just done. He used everything that he had left in that spell. He was completely spent now and didn't have the strength to open a portal to the land of departure. He couldn't warn Eraqus, he couldn't stop Xehanort.

He had failed.

With those thoughts in mind, he fell on his back and let his armor evaporate from off his body. He vaguely saw the man he saved rush to his side and utter a few words, but Kida wasn't listening. He felt his vision start to fade; the last thing he saw was of Xehanort when he first became his student. The smug smile on his face that Kida thought was just the overconfidence most children had. He now knew better.

But still.

Kida had cared for Xehanort as if he was his own son. It pained him to realize what his beloved student really was.

"I have failed you as a master…Xehanort" he murmured as his vision went completely black. His being evaporated into particles of light, leaving nothing behind but The Forgotten Light…and an old journal.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Well, another chapter down. I am Pretty sure the last chapter of this arc will be next. The reason it was not included in this was because of the sheer amount of words i would have had. This chapter was 12K plus, so you can imagine how insanely long it would have been, but it also would have taken a lot longer to come out. So, what did you think? Did you enjoy? It was a bit difficult to do. The part with Roxas and all his friends was difficult because i had a hard time managing each character and there thoughts on what they learned about the Roxas, but i feel that i did an ok job. Also, Kida's story ends here, as you can tell. His story was a tragedy, but it was necessary for the plot. I hope you guys enjoyed it.**

 **Also, would you like to see this story split up into separate fanfictions? or just pile on the chapters so this is just one big fic. Let me know.**

 **So, please leave your thoughts in a review as well. I love hearing thoughts on the story. It always makes my day when someone takes the time to review. I have a bit of the last chapter written, so i will try and get it out as fast as possible. Thank you all so much for the support on the story. I am using a new laptop to write, so there may be a few more error because i am not used to this keyboard yet, so please forgive me.**

 **Until then!**


	17. Chapter 17: Meaning of Existance

**Authors Note: "DrWriter21! What R U Doing! Where Is Season Finale?" This is probably what you are thinking right now. Trust me, I wanted to make this the season finale, but when I hit 20K words, I knew I could not fit it all in one chapter, considering the amount of editing I would have to do. So here is yet again another chapter before the battle. This really sets things up for the war because like I said, I don't want to do a fast and rushed transition before the final fight. I hope you will be patient because it is necessary. I know you want the war to happen, trust me, so do I.**

 **But like I said, if I rush it, it will not come out the way either of us wants it to, so hold your horses.**

 **Warning: Reader: "U Have TYPO!"**

 **Me: Congrats on pointing out the obvious.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 17

Roxas gasped as he suddenly sat up in his bed, wide awake. He took a few deep breaths as he tried to calm his beating heart before looking around. He gave a small sigh of relief when he realized he was still in the same room where he fell asleep. Glancing down at his hand, he saw the Forgotten light in his fist. However it didn't instantly vanish like it always did.

Roxas stared down at the ominous looking weapon for a few seconds before he noticed a couple drop of water on the handle. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion before a few more drops landed on the Keyblade.

Blinking a few times, Roxas raised his other hand and brought it to his cheek. Feeling something slightly wet, he pulled back his hand to see a few tears on his fingers.

He was crying.

He could not stop the tears from leaking from his eyes, almost as if the sorrow from the Keyblade's former master had transferred directly to him through The Forgotten Light. His heart felt very heavy as he recalled the memories he had whiteness while asleep. He could understand why he was crying. The sheer despair and sadness that Kida had felt in his last moments were overwhelming.

He now knew the full story of Master Kida, and he knew that Xehanort was the one that ended him.

His own student…a boy that the old key barer thought of as a son, had killed him.

In a way, Roxas could see what Xehanort was getting at when he wondered if it really was worth it to have a heart. He had a point when he said that it was the source of so much sorrow. Then again, Kida's perspective made a lot more sense. You could have all the power in the world, but what was the point if you didn't have anyone to share it with…anyone to protect with it? Why have it in the first place?

Pushing himself up, Roxas swung his legs over the bed before she stood on his feet. He didn't have time to think about this right now. He had wasted enough time as it was. He needed to find the Nobodies. Quickly, he walked over to the door and walked out, continuing the hut for the lesser of his kind.

Roxas spent the next few hours looking around the castle, trying to see any sign of the Nobodies, but so far he had only seen heartless. There was literally nothing else in this castle. It was completely empty.

It was later that Roxas found himself on the top of the castle. What memories this place brought to him. This was the place right before Sora and Riku fought Xemnas for the last time. This was also the place where he finally fully became a part of Sora.

The place where gave up his existence.

Again, he had mixed feeling about standing here. On one hand, he knew that Sora needed his power in order to defeat the leader of organization 13…however, on the other hand, Roxas also wanted to exist. But what was the point of existing if Xemnas was victorious and managed to plunge all the worlds into darkness?

Taking a deep breath, Roxas looked over the edge of the balcony to admire the view. He could see the entire city from here, the only light given was the Xemnas's Kingdom hearts in the sky.

Looking up at it, Roxas again had to wonder what the point of it was. It was obvious now that Nobodies like him didn't need it to become whole, so what was Xemnas's real plan? What did he need all those hearts for? Why did he collect so many?

Shaking his head, Roxas reminded himself that he had an objective. He could not worry about this right now. He needed to find the Nobodies and fast. But where were they? Where would they go if they had no one to guide them, no one to lead them? He thought that they would return here, to the world that never was. This world was like there home. It was familiar to them.

Roxas had to laugh a bit when he realized that he was also talking about himself. When he left the organization, he went to the only place that was familiar to him, the only place where he felt truly comfortable.

Twilight tower.

He really didn't know where else he should go, but that was how Xion found him so easily. He thought that it was possible that the lesser Nobodies would have the same though process.

"Maybe I'm looking in the wrong spot. Maybe they're not here." Roxas said out loud as he continued to think about it. But if they weren't here, where would they be?

"Well, isn't this a surprise."

Immediately, Roxas spun around and looked at the voice who had addressed him, the oblivion appearing in his hand as he got into a fighting stance. He looked at the figure in surprised for a few moments before he easily recognized her. It was very hard not to know who this person was.

"Maleficent." Roxas growled as he narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, so you know who I am. However I have never seen you before." She said as she glanced down at the weapon in his hands. Immediately, a deep scowl formed on her face. "And you wield that reached Keyblade like Sora and his meddling friends. I was wondering who was in my castle. I felt some of my heartless being destroyed by somebody. So tell me, why have you trespassed upon my castle?"

"Your castle?" Roxas asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, my castle. I acquired it after those Nobodies were destroyed by Sora. Good riddance to them all. They got what came to them." She said as a sinister smile formed on her face. "A once way trip to…nothing."

"… Hmm, so you haven't see any Nobodies since then?" Roxas asked.

Maleficent stared at the Roxas for a few moments before she crossed her arms, a haughty look crossing her face. "Why am I even telling you this? Who are you? Why can you use the Keyblade? And why do you ware they same coat as the members of that Organization of Nobodies?"

"That is none of your concern. If the Nobodies are no longer here, then there is nothing I want with this castle." He said as he dropped his fighting stance. He let the oblivion vanish from his hand before he started to walk past the witch.

Maleficent watched him curiously for a few seconds as he passed by her. She frowned, realizing that he didn't even acknowledge her. He didn't fidget under her gaze like most people would, nor did he admire the powerful aura that she possessed.

And she didn't like that.

"Stop!" she ordered.

Roxas stopped mid-step as he looked over his shoulder. "What?"

"You come into my castle, destroy some of my heartless, and now you expect to just leave. I don't know who you think you are, but I will have to teach you a lesson in manners." She said as she uncrossed her arms as raised them to the side. Immediately, she was surrounded by a dark green aura, a sinister look on her face.

Roxas watched as the power of darkness made itself visible from this person. "I don't want to fight you maleficent. There's no reason to."

"You are wrong. I have a grudge against those that wield the keyblade. You think I will just stand by and let you walk through my castle like you own the place?" She said as the darkness began to cover her entire frame. "From past experiences, I know that wielders of the Keyblade are not to be underestimated, so I will not take it easy on you. I will teach you respect! Behold the powers of Darkness."

Suddenly, the darkness completely overcame the witch. It increased until it took up a good portion of the balcony. Finally, the darkness dispersed, and in its place stood, not the witch maleficent, but a massive black dragon. Roxas knew that this was one of maleficent forms, but he didn't know she had gained such power over the darkness since Sora last saw her.

The dragon turned its head towards him, its mouth turning upwards, almost as if it were smiling. Light green flames licked her lips as the dragon suddenly rushed at him. Immediately, it picked up its foot and brought it down where Roxas was standing.

Roxas immediately, dashed out of the way before he summoned the oblivion and Oathkeeper to his hands. "I cant waist time here. I have something I need to do. Stop this now, Maleficent!"

In response, the dragon reared back its head before it spewed a stream of green flames at the Nobody.

Seeing the oncoming flames, Roxas raised the Oathkeeper and pointed it at the center of the attack.

"Blizzaga!"

Ice erupted from the tip of the Keyblade before it collided violently with the flames. The intense heat from the fire easily melted the ice into water before it evaporated into a billow of steam. Roxas used it as cover before he shot around to the backside of the giant creature.

However, the dragon swung its tale, causing it to roughly slam into Roxas. He was sent him flying through the air before he crashed into the ground. Quickly, Roxas jumped to his feet before he rolled out of an incoming fire stream. It hit the ground, sending flamed climbing along the floor and over the edge of the balcony.

Roxas faced the dragon again, a little sore, but ready for battle. "Sorry everyone. You will just have to wait a little while longer." He said as he saw one of the dragon's claws heading his way.

* * *

It was the next day that Louise found herself sitting in front of the Princess again. She was really nervous because the conversation she had with Henrietta yesterday didn't go quite as well as she hoped. The princess asked a lot of questions that she didn't know how to answer. Louise barely understood it herself, so how was she supposed to answer them.

After the conversation was over, Henrietta said she needed to think it over for the knight. Louise really couldn't blame her because it sounded crazy, almost like Roxas had made the whole thing up as an excuse so he could run away from the conflict. In a way, she could see Henrietta's viewpoint on that, however, Louise was gong to believe in her familiar. Henrietta was not there when he explained everything to them. If she was, then Louise knew that the princess would not doubt him.

Louise sat down at the table as she looked over at her childhood friend. There was an awkward silent for a few moments before Louise started.

"Have you had time to think it over? Do you believe what I said about Roxas?"

Henrietta looked a little unsure at first before she gave a small sigh. A gentle smile then crossed her features as she met her friend's gaze. "If you are so convinced he is telling the truth, then I will have to put my faith in you. If you believe in him Louise, then I will believe in him as well."

Louise breathed a small sigh of relief as she heard the princess's words, however, that also put a bit of stress on her. Henrietta trusted her now, and she could not let her down.

"I believe him. You weren't there. You didn't see the look in his eyes Princess." Louise said as she met Henrietta's gaze.

"I know. It's just…difficult to understand…even more so to believe. For the sake of this country, I hope he is telling the truth."

"He is. He will return, I know it." Louise replied.

"However, if he is telling the truth, and his plan does in fact…work, I am only worried that it will also draw unwanted attention. Have you told anyone else about this?" Henrietta asked suddenly.

Louise shook her head. "I don't think anyone else would really believe me."

"And rightfully so. If Roxas's plan does work, we have to be very quiet about his. I love Tristan, but some of its leaders are very questionable. If they knew that your familiar could command an army of these so called…Nobodies…Then I don't have a doubt that they will try and use that ability to further Tristan's influence through violent means. I want war to be a last resort and I don't want to use violence to further the progression of Tristan." Henrietta said sadly.

Louise nodded in understanding as she smiled at her one of her best friends. She had always admired the kind spirit that Henrietta was.

 _BAM BAM_

Henrietta and Louise both jumped slightly as someone loudly pounded on her door.

"Henrietta! Its urgent!" said a muffled voice behind the door.

Henrietta suddenly had a stern look on her face.

"Open the door Agnes. What happened?"

The door suddenly opened to see a panicked Agnes standing there with a few medics behind her. The medics were carrying a wounded man on a stretcher as they entered the room. Louise looked at the man in confusion because he didn't look that injured, however, he was groaning in pain as he held a hand over his heart. He was shaking violently, as if he was in the deepest agony.

Henrietta looked at Agnes for a few seconds in confusion. "What is the meaning of this? Why is he not in the medical bay?"

"He strongly insisted to come directly here. He said he had an urgent message for you." Agnes replied.

Henrietta nodded as she walked up to the man and knelt by the stretcher. The man had his eyes closed, his face courted in the uttermost agony as his body twitched a few times. Henrietta could tell he was in a lot of pain.

"Young man. It's me, Princess Henrietta. What happened to you?"

The young man cracked open his eyes to see his princess kneeling there next to him. He forced a painful smile on his face.

"Princess…Henrietta." He gasped as he clenched his eyes closed again. "It is an Honor to…meet you." He said as he shook violently.

Henrietta's eyebrows scrunched in pity as she looked down the man. She gently reached over and rested her hand on his arm. "Its ok. Your safe now. Can you tell me what happened?"

Feeling the princess's hand on his arm, the young man started to relax, but his body was still shaking uncontrollably.

"I have never seen anything like them. They came out of nowhere and wiped out my whole squad. I barely managed to escape." The young man said. "It was Albion. I am sure of it. They are on there way right now." He said as he gasped in pain, his hand grasping his chest, almost like he felt it was going to split open.

Henrietta had a look of pure dread on her face. Albion had just declared war, and now they were attacking. This was too soon.

She gently squeezed his arm, trying to get his attention. "Where? Can you tell us where so we can defend our country?" She asked desperately.

The young man heaved a few painful breaths as he looked up at her, his body was shaking again. "T-T-Tarbes. They are on there-there way to Tarbes." He said before he clenched his eyes closed again.

Henrietta grit her teeth before she looked up at the Agnes. "Assemble your forces! We need to protect Tarbes!" she ordered

Agnes nodded before she turned to the girl next to her. "Michelle, assemble the armies. I will take this young man to the medical bay."

Michelle nodded as she left the room.

Henrietta turned her attention back at the young man before she gave him a gentle smile. "You did well. When you recover, you will be rewarded by the royal family."

Despite being in great pain, the young man managed to gave a small smile. "I-I don't know how I survived this long. Those creatures destroyed my squad like they were nothing…I love my country…I think that is the only reason I was able to make it this far." He said as a more peaceful look crossed his face. "But now that I have complete my goal, I can pass with honor."

"Don't talk like that, you are going to surv-." Henrietta said before her eyes widened. She immediately jumped away from him as dark wisps of energy began to emit from his being. Her eyes widened as it increased to the point where the temperature of the room suddenly dropped.

Agnes was also watching with wide eyes before she drew her sword. "What is going on? What are you doing?"

The young man had tears streaming down his face as he looked up at the ceiling. "I love Tristan. I-I'm Sorry I couldn't go on." He cried before he screamed out in pain. His chest began to glow brightly before a red object ejected from it.

Everyone watched in horror as the young mans body completely disappeared, laving the object floating in the air. The shape of it was very distinguishable though.

A heart.

Suddenly, a dark aura overcame the heart, causing a very ominous feeling to saturate the air.

Louis's eyes widened immensely as she recognized this feeling. It felt the same way when Sir Wardes used the darkness in his fight against Roxas. What was going on?

Everyone watched the spot where the darkness engulfed the heart before it started to dissipate. When it finally did, in its place was a creature they had never seen before. It was a small. Its skin was completely black, had a large round head, and two beady little yellow eyes. It was crouched down as it looked in all directions.

Everyone was staring at this creature with wide eyes. They watched as it looked absently around the room before it fixed its gaze on Henrietta.

Agnes carefully pointed her sword at the creature with a raised eyebrow. "What is this thing? What happened to the young man?" She asked.

Suddenly, Louise's' eyes widened as a memory played through her mind.

 _They consume your soul, the thing that makes you who you are. That is what I mean by your heart. When a Heartless consumes your heart, you plunge into the darkness and become…_

"One of them." Louise finished as her eyes widened in horror.

"What is this? I have never seen a creature like this before." Henrietta said as she inched forward to get a closer look.

"PRINCESS! WATCH OUT!" Louise screamed, and rightfully so. The dark creature suddenly lunged at the princess and had Louise not tackled her out of the way, the creature's attack would have landed.

The creature soared over the two before it landed on the ground and turned towards them in a crouched position. Its beady yellow eyes were showing no form of emotion, just an uncontrollable instinct.

An instinct that wanted to consume them.

Henrietta and Louise landed on the ground before quickly scrambling to there feet. Both of them had their wands out, ready to defend against this creature.

"How dare you attack the princess!" Agnes roared as she charged, swinging her sword in the process.

The creature just looked up at her before it seemed to sink into the ground. Agnes's blade hit the floor with a thud as the creature moved like a shadow around her. Its form then melted up from the ground before it launched another attack at the princess.

Henrietta quickly chanted a spell, causing ice spikes for form around the room. Immediately, she waved her wand at the creature, causing the spikes to shoot directly at it.

The spikes slammed into the creature, causing it to stumble backwards, but it got right back up, almost as if nothing had hit it in the first place. It then sunk back into the ground, becoming completely invisible.

Everyone glanced around, looking for the creature, but no one could see a thing.

"Be on guard, we don't know where it is!" Agnes said as she crouched down, both hands on her sword.

Louise and Henrietta were standing back to back as they looked around frantically for the creature.

"ARG!" Henrietta shouted as she felt pain on her side. The force of the attack sent her stumbling to the ground. She looked at the source of the attacker, only to see the creature standing there, it yellow eyes boring into her. Henrietta could not help but feel dread when looking into those lifeless eyes. Her own eyes widened when she saw it crouched down, ready to attack.

Louise spun around to see the princess lying there with the creature ready to attack again. She needed to do something. She had to stop it! She needed to protect her friend. But how? How was she supposed to protect her when she has never been able to cast magic successfully before?

Seeing the creature inch itself forward, Louise made up her mind. She was not going to doubt any more. Someone needed her, and she was not going to fail this time.

Suddenly, a small white aura seemed to emit from off of her frame. It lit up the room very slightly, but everyone was to focus on the creature notice it. Louise felt it though. She felt this foreign power spread throughout her boy, though not having time to ponder it, she pointed her wand at the creature just at it leaped at the princess.

"FIREBALL!" she exclaimed.

A fireball did not emit from her wand. However, something else did. Her wand glowed bright white for a moment before a small beam of light ejected from the tip. It was so small that if you weren't watching it close enough, you would have not been able to see it. The beam shot forwarded before it hit the creature straight in the chest.

The consequences were immediate as the creature suddenly exploded in a flash of light. The darkness complete dispersed as a good chunk of the room exploded along with it. Everyone was forced to shield their eyes from the light as pieces of wood were thrown in all directions.

After a few moments, everyone lowered their arms to see that the creature had completely disappeared…along with a good portion of the floor.

Louise blinked a few times as the light aura suddenly disappeared. She had made explosions like that before, but they never started with a small beam of light. And that explosion was bit larger than most she would summon.

"What was that?" Louise whispered to herself as she looked down at her wand.

Henrietta raised herself to a seated position before she looked over at her friend with an eyebrow raised. She then looked back at the small crater.

"What is going on? What was that thing?" Agnes asked as she took a couple steps forward and helped the princess to her feet.

Louise scrunched her eyebrows, but she had a very good idea what that creature was based on what Roxas had said yesterday, however, she didn't want to believe it was true. Slowly, she turned her attention back to the princess.

"I have an idea, but I don't want it to be true. I remember this feeling. It was the same feeling I had when Wardes used the powers of darkness. I think that creature may have been the Heartless Roxas talked about."

Henrietta's eyes widened again as she looked at the destroyed floor. She then turned to Agnes. "Prepare more troops. We may loose more people that I thought in this battle." She said sadly.

Agnes looked between Louise and Henrietta a couple times as her eyes narrows suspiciously. However, she obeyed the commands of the princess. With a small bow, she exited the door.

Henrietta watched her walk out the door before she turned to Louise. "If these are the kinds of creatures we have to worry about, then for the sake of this country, I hope Roxas will return."

"I do too." Was all Louise could say as she took one more look at her wand?

* * *

Roxas was panting a bit as he leaped over Maleficent's tail. He was doing decently against the large dragon, but she had managed to clip him a few times. His right cheek had a nasty gash on it, and his coat was slightly burned by the fire.

Maleficent had multiple wounds covering her body, but they were just flesh wounds. There was not much he could do to her at the moment besides ware her down. It seems that she had learned a lot from fighting Sora in the past, and she was using that knowledge against him.

"REFLECTGA!" Roxas roared at the creature's claw shot at him. The claw collided with the shield before the barrier broke into fragments of light, which exploded moments later.

The dragon roared in pain before as it withdrew its wounded paw. Roxas used this to his advantage by rushed at the beast and swinging as hard as he could, bringing the Keyblade down right on her head. The sound of metal hitting flesh echoed through the castle as Roxas leaped back.

The dragon roared again in agony before it raised it head high into the air. Suddenly, green fireballs formed around its body before they all shot at the Nobody.

Roxas rolled as one flew over his head. It violently crashed into the ground before dispersing. Roxas then sprinted in a circle around the creature, jumping and ducking to avoid more of the dragon's deadly fireballs. Jumping high into the air to avoid another attack, Roxas drew back both his keyblade before they started to glow brightly.

"Double Strike Raid!" Roxas yelled as he whirled the keyblade at the dragon. They both shot down with magnificent speed, looking like glowing disks before they collided with the dragon's legs, slicing deep into them.

Maleficent roared in pain again as she collapsed on her belly. There was a dark green blood that was oozing from her wounds as she lay there.

Roxas landed on the ground as he reached up and caught his weapons.

"Have you had enough Maleficent?"

The dragon narrowed its dark yellow eyes before she pushed herself to her feet. A dark energy began to emit from her body as she gave another gigantic roar. She suddenly started to violently whip her head from side to side as she pushed up with her from pawns. She then let out a devastating stream of fire that seemed to go in all directions.

Roxas's eyes widened as he looked around at the stream. He noticed that Maleficent had breathed fire in a way that cut off nearly all of his escape routs. He grit his teeth as he pointed at the wall of flames to his right.

"BLIZZAGA!" he bellowed as she shot a stream of ice at the fire. The ice barely managed to create a small hole, just big enough for him to jump through. But he had to be fast because the hungry flames were already melting the ice. He made a quick escape as he jumped through the small opening. However, the heat of the fire made his wince as it licked his body and face. It felt like he was fighting axel when he would set the entire area on fire.

It also didn't help that he accidentally breathed in a large amount of smoke when he tried to escape. Just as he hit the ground, he landed on his knees before coughing violently, trying to clear his lungs. However, in the midst of his coughing fit, he didn't even notice a large shadow looming over him.

Barely having time to look up, he could only gasp as a largo paw suddenly crashed down on him, comply crushing his torso into the ground.

"AUG!" Roxas gasped as both his Keyblade's fell from his grasp. Maleficent had pinned him to the ground and was using the full force of her dragon weight on top of him.

Cracking one eye open, Roxas met the creature's gaze. He grit his teeth because he could almost see the glee in her eyes, no doubt enjoying the fact that he was at her mercy right now.

"You should have never let your guard down. That mistake will cost you dearly." The dragon said in a deep voice.

Roxas's eyes widened as he saw Maleficent rear back rear head, taking a deep inhale. He knew what was coming next. Placing his hands on the dragons paw, he tried desperately to move it, but she was not budging.

It was to late.

Roxas watched as she whipped her head down at him and let loose a stream of fire, heading right for him at point blank range. There was no way out of this.

Suddenly, time seemed to slow down for the Nobody. He watched as the fire came directly for him, but it seemed to take ages to reach.

"Well…I guess this is appropriate." Roxas thought. "If I die, its not like it would matter. I was never supposed to be in the first place."

 _What's wrong with you!_

Roxas's eyes widened as a memory played through his mind. It was of siesta. She was standing in front of him with tears in her eyes. For an instant, he could even vaguely feel the sting of the slap she landed on his cheek.

 _How can you say it would mean nothing? What about us? What about the people that have grown to care about you?_

"Siesta." He whispered.

 _Who will be the Hero of the Fairies if you are not there?_

 _"_ Jessica, Amy"

 _You better come back Roxas. It will be a new achievement to seduce someone who lacked emotions at one point._

"Kirche."

 _Just…come back safe…Ok?_

"Louise."

 _You…you will always be there to protect us…right?_

"Ellie"

 _KYU! You are still one of my best friends!_

"Irukukwu"

 _I know how stubborn you can be._

"Tabitha."

Finally, one last memory played through his mind as he watched the fire stream come closer to him. Siesta was hugging him tightly, her chin resting on his shoulder.

 _"_ _Don't die…Please. Don't disappear."_

Roxas clenched his teeth as he realized something.

He could not die here.

He had people that cared for him now. He had people that he needed to protect, people that would be sad if he were gone.

"Sora." Roxas whispered as he suddenly felt overwhelming power fill his being. "I need to borrow your power!"

Maleficent had a satisfied look that crossed her dragon features as she watched the fire draw closer to him. Just as it was about to impact his form, she barely caught the determined look in his eyes before the flames engulfed him.

She found out why just moment later.

The flames only engulfed him for a few seconds before a bright light suddenly erupted from Roxas's frame. The force of the blast sent the dragon stumbling away from the Nobody before she crashed to the ground on her side. Shaking her head, Maleficent looked around before she spotted her victim. Immediately, her eyes widened when she saw his new look.

His once black coat had taken a blue form. He had the Oathkeeper in one hand, and a different black keyblade in the other. He was gliding just barely above the ground as wisps of blue energy radiated off of his body.

"Drive…Wisdom." Roxas growled as he felt an absurd about of magical energy coursing through his being.

Maleficent's eyes whined immensely as she heard those words. She knew of one person that had this ability. "It's impossible." She growled as her eyes widened. "You are not Sora, so how can you use that ability…" She started until she noticed a rather defining feature of his cloths. A large Nobody symbol that spread across his torso. Her eyes widened in realization before they narrowed again.

"I see. That explains who you are, why you are looking for the nobodies, and why you can use that ability. Here I thought all the Nobodies of the Organization were wiped out by Sora, but it seems you survived. You are Sora's Nobody, are you not?"

"No." Roxas said as he felt power radiate from off his form. "I am me! No one else." He said before he pointed both of his Keyblade's at the dragon. "BLIZZAGA!" he shouted.

Maleficent's eyes could only widened immensely as the massive stream of ice shot in her direction. It was much larger and more powerful than any of the spells he had used in this fight already. She inhaled as deep as she could and realized the biggest stream of fire she could manage. The fire collided violently with the ice, but it was not enough to stop it fully.

The ice spell fought through the flames before it collided with the dragon, immediately freezing her front legs to the ground.

Maleficent growled in pain as she reared back her head to unleash fire on her frozen legs, however, her head was met with a massive amount of pain as blue bullets of energy struck her. She looked to the side to see Roxas standing there with both Keyblade's in hand. He suddenly unleashed a flurry of those energy bullets before they all collided painfully with her body.

She roared in pain as she started to flail about, trying to free her paws from there icy prison. She was successful after a few second because the ice shattered. She then turned her attention back to where Roxas was supposed to be, but he was no longer there.

Looking around frantically, she could not see him anywhere. Where did he go?

"You are finished Maleficent."

Maleficent didn't even have time to turn around before she noticed the sky's growing even darker than usual.

"THUNDAGA!"

Maleficent had been alive for a long amount of time. During that time, she had been in countless battles. She had been triumphant in most, but there were a few times she had actually loss. Those losses were painful, especially the one where she fought against Sora.

However…

That pain was nothing compared to the sheer amount of agony her body went through after Roxas's attack. Massive bolts of Lighting fell from the sky before they struck her body multiple times. She had never seen a lighting spell this powerful before…and to be on the receiving end of it was more painful that she could imagine.

Giving a massive Roar, Maleficent's body started to give off a wispy dark aura until it completely consumed her body.

Roxas watched as her figure began to shrink until it took her original form. The regular Maleficent was panting and gasping in pain as he struggled to keep standing. However, she was not that successful as she fell to the ground, her staff rolling away from her.

Roxas was breathing deeply as well before he let the drive form fade. He felt his magic completely deplete in the process through, leaving him gasping for breath.

"I can't afford to be tired right now." Roxas said to himself as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an elixir. Popping the lid off of it, he drained it in one gulp.

Maleficent could only watch from her position on the ground as Roxas's wounds faded and his magic completely resorted. She had a deep glare on her face, absolutely furious that she lost again to a Keyblade barer. She was now at his mercy, and he could end her with one swing of his keyblade.

Roxas gave a sigh as he dropped the empty bottle on the ground. "Only one left." He said sadly as he turned toward the witch. He narrowed his eyes at her before he turned his back and began to walk away.

Maleficent could not believe what she was seeing. He was going to just leave her there without ending her? Was he really looking down that much on her? Was she just not worth his time?

With those thoughts, Maleficent grit her teeth as she tried to force herself to her feet, only to fall back down.

"Stop! Where are you going?" Maleficent growled, getting Roxas's attention.

Roxas looked over his shoulder at the beaten woman. "Since the Nobodies are not here, there is nothing I want with this castle." He replied.

"Why are you not finishing me? Are you looking down on me?" She asked, her eyes glaring at him.

"I have more important things to do that to end you Maleficent. Besides, You're not worth it. You never were."

"What-What's that supposed to mean! You think you are better than me? I know what you are. Even if you don't want to admit it yourself, you are Sora's nobody. You're a nothing…someone who is not even supposed to be born."

"Your right." Roxas said, not even flinching. "But that didn't stop me from beating you."

Maleficent glared at him before she looked back to the ground. "I cannot deny that you beat me, just like how Sora did. But how? How do I keep loosing to you key bearers? Why are you so strong?"

Roxas pondered for a second before he looked at the downed witch in pity. "Maleficent, why is the darkness so appealing to you?"

"What are you talking about? Darkness is the ultimate source of power! Why would I not want it? Are you a fool?"

 _I pity you Xehanort._

"But what is the point of all that power when you have no one to protect with it?" he asked, nearly quoting Master Kida from his memories.

"Why would I need people? They are only a hindrance. They betray you, lie to you, and deceive you. You are better off alone."

"No"

Maleficent looked up at Roxas with an eyebrow raised. "No?"

"You know that I am a Nobody. I have been down the road where I had no one. I had nothing. I've been on that side before and I cant think of anything more lonely, or painful than to be alone. I didn't actually start to feel until I made friend's of my own."

"You're a nobody. You can't feel."

Roxas chuckled. "That really just shows the power of friendship. If it is powerful enough to actually grow a heart in an empty shell, then it is more than enough to grant me the power to defeat you."

"What do...you mean?"

"The reason Sora and I are so powerful is because we have people we need to protect. Those people are the source of our strength. It's not the darkness…or even the light. You can have all the power in the world, but you will always loose to those who fight for something."

Maleficent scoffed as she lowered her head to the ground. "Such foolishness."

"Maleficent. I pity you. You have so much power, but you stay here, alone in this castle. You have no one to fight for, no one that you care for, or cares for you in return. I have been there…but now…" Roxas said as he turned to walk away again.

"Now there are people that care for me, and speaking from experience, it is much better than being alone." He said as he walked away.

Maleficent raised her head as she glanced at his departing figure before she lowered it again. "But I also speak from experience. When you open your heart to others, there is always the chance that it will get broken."

* * *

Roxas rolled his shoulder as he found himself walking the dark streets of the world that never was. He could see that the reason there were so many heartless was because of Maleficent. He vaguely remembered that she wanted the castle for herself, but forgot until she showed up.

"Glad she didn't find me when I was sleeping." Roxas said as he looked around the streets for any sign of the Nobodies, but he was still unsuccessful. Maleficent said she had not seen any since the organization was defeated. If that were true, it was just as he suspected. They had no one to lead them anymore. They were just…There.

"But where is "There?"" Roxas asked himself as he crossed his arms. He absently glanced up at the broken Kingdom hearts in the sky. He gave a small grin when it brought back the memories of the time he, Riku, and Sora defeated Xemnas. That was quite the battle. They had to fight that massive Nobody before that battle even took place. It was a good thing Riku found that glider. For some reason, that Glider looked a lot like Master Kida's Keyblade glider. Only Master Kida's was a darker color and lacked the side platform.

"Maybe Xehanort recreated it after being inspired by Kida's glider." Roxas pondered…however, that thought came with another question. "Hmmm" Roxas hummed as he extended his hand. The Forgotten Light appeared in his hand before he stared at the ominous weapon. If this were truly Kida's keyblade, then would it be able to transform into a glider, right?

"Hmm" Roxas hummed again. As he let the keyblade vanish. "I will have to look into that later." He continued to think about the last fight with Xemnas, how Riku and Sora struggled so hard again the powerful Nobody. And even when they defeated him, they were not done. They had to fight an army of Nobod…

Roxas blinked a few times as his eyes widened. He almost face palmed as he remembered that little fact. That was where they were. It wasn't this world where they resided if they didn't have a task.

No

It was the realm in-between light and darkness, the place where Sora and Riku fought Xemnas. It was also the place where disobedient member of the organization were sent.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas had to admit, he was a little nervous about going into that realm. Based on Sora and Riku's experience, there were countless Nobodies there that didn't have anything to do but attack anyone who entered.

Calming himself down, Roxas extended his hand and opened a Corridor of darkness to the realm in-between. He stared at the wispy entrance for a few seconds before a determined look crossed his face. He marched forward; ready to take on whatever was thrown his way.

* * *

Louise watched as Henrietta gave an inspiring speech about protecting their country to the small army they could assemble. There was not that many because of how unexpected the attack on Tarbes was. However, they had managed to assemble the musketeer knights as well as the griffin solders.

However, Louise's mind was on another matter. She looked down at the wand grasped in her hand again. The explosion she used to destroy that heartless was much more different than her usual explosions.

"Louise"

Louise blinked a few times before she looked up at the princess. Henrietta was giving her a grateful smile as she wrapped her hands in her own.

"I am very grateful that you are here with me. Ever since Prince Wales passed away…" she said as she gave a downcast expression. "It has been difficult to bear the burdens of the kingdom alone."

Louise gave her a soft smile as she grasped her hands as well. "Always princess."

Henrietta smiled again before a more serious look crossed her face. "We have to prepare. This is the first battle in this war and we have to make a statement."

"Right!"

* * *

Roxas wasn't in the corridor for that long before he found himself standing in a massive, empty space. It was easily recognizable. This was the place where Sora and Riku fought Xemnas. It looked exactly the same as I usually did. The floor he was standing on seemed to be alive with movement. It was a silvery color with patterned lines moving about the walls and celling. It was almost hyponastic in a way.

Roxas walked forward a few steps as he looked around the empty area. He smiled to himself as he realized this place was perfect for a nobody because it was completely empty, devoid of anything regarding light and darkness. It was truly the realm in-between.

Suddenly, Roxas heard a sound coming from behind him. Immediately, he turned around to see a silvery pillar erupt form the ground before it took the form of the most common of Nobodies.

"A Dusk." Roxas said as he steadied himself. He didn't summon his keyblade quite yet, because the creature was just looking at him, swaying back and forth slightly.

Seconds later however, countless more silver pillars erupted from the ground behind the small dusk. Roxas looked around frantically as Nobodies of all shapes and sized appeared. There were Dusks, Creepers, Sorcerers, Snipers, Dragoons, Berserkers, Assassins, Dancers, gamblers…and finally the Samurai. Every form of nobody had suddenly appeared, like he was looking into an endless sea of silver and white.

And they were all staring at him. Some of them looked anxious, almost like they were ready to attack, but where using every bit of there self control to refrain from it.

Roxas had to admit, he was very nervous at this point. Looking at the sea of Nobodies, he knew if they attacked, then he would not stand a chance against this many.

There was an awkward atmosphere for a while as they continued to look in his direction, almost as if they were trying to decide whether or not to attack him.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas looked at his fellow beings in pity. They were just here, wasting away there existence for eternity because they didn't know what else to do. At least the heartless had a goal in mind and an instinct to follow. But these Nobodies didn't.

"It's sad." Roxas started as he looked at the sea of nobodies. "You are here in the realm in-between, doing absolutely nothing with the existence you're cursed with."

The only response he got was blank stares from the nobodies. Roxas didn't know if they could actually comprehend what he was saying, but he was going to try anyway. If they could follow orders, then they could understand him…He hoped.

"We were never supposed to exist…but we do. We were created when someone else lost their heart, doomed to never have one of our own. And…"Roxas paused as he continued to stare at his fellow nobodies. "Like you, I was born of nothing, but now I have a heart of my own. Sadly, you don't have this privilege, and I pity you."

Again, he was only bet with a few plank looked from the nobodies. However, by their body language, they seemed to be more relaxed than when he first entered the realm. Almost as if they made the decision not to attack him.

"However, there is something I can do. I can guide you. I can offer you a chance to do something with the existence your forced to have. Ultimately, the choice is yours. You can stay here…" Roxas said as he gestured to the surrounding area of nothingness. "Waste away for eternity with no one knowing you even exist. Or you can follow me. I may have a heart now, but I am still a Nobody…So will you give me the chance to help you? Allow me to give you some meaning to this cursed existence? Will you follow me as the last member of Organization 13?" Roxas finished as he took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth.

The Nobodies all paused for a few moments, as if trying to comprehend what he was trying to say. A few looked around at the surrounding area and also at each other. Roxas was really staring to wonder if they understood what he was saying, but he hoped they would.

Suddenly, Roxas noticed a specific group of Nobodies walk forward. He easily recognized them because they had been under his control when he was a member of the organization.

The Samurai.

They continued walked forward before they stood in front of him. Roxas wondered if they were going to attack him, but there next action made his eyes widen dramatically.

They suddenly knelt down and bowed in front of him. They could not talk, but that action was more than enough to convey there thoughts to him.

Roxas felt his heart beat faster as he realized his plan was starting to work. If nothing else, the Samurai were still on his side. But as he though about it, even when he left the Organization, the Samurai still obeyed his command.

Suddenly, another movement caught his eye. A one dust that greeted him to the realm of in-between suddenly mimicked the motion of the samurai. Then, as if it were a chain reaction, the rest of the dusks walked forward and followed suit. They went the only ones. As if a wave flowed through the sea of nobodies, they all started to bow in front of Roxas. The ones that could fly, like the snipers, dragoons, and sorcerers, just inclined their heads.

But it all meant the same to Roxas.

Roxas looked at them all in shock, his eyes white as he witnessed their actions. Soon, a small smile formed on his face as he looked at his fellow Nobodies.

"Thank you." He said before he turned his back to them and extended his hand, a more determined look crossed his face. "Lets do something with our existence."

* * *

Louise and Henrietta could only stare up in horror when they got to Tarbes. Thankfully, the village had evacuated into the forests because of the warning she had sent earlier, but as she looked up into the sky, she could not help but doubt their chances at victory.

Albion had gone all out in this attack. When Tristan arrived at the battleground, they were greeted with two massive flying ships in the sky. That would have posed a problem, but that was not the worst of it. Instead, on the ground, as well as in the sky, there were a numerous amount of creatures of all shapes and sizes. But despite all the different kinds of creatures, they had one very distinct feature that was the same between all of them.

A heart-shaped symbol on their chest.

"W-Where did Albion get all these creatures?" Henrietta could only ask fearfully.

Louise was in a similar position as she looked at the creatures hovering in the sky and waiting for them on the ground. Some looked like they had on a dark jumpsuit on with a mettle helmet. Next to them were some other creatures that looked like a massive ball with legs and a tiny head.

In the sky, she saw a lot of dragons, but they were a species that she had never seen before. They were a darker red, and had massive talons on their feet.

Suddenly, she remembered the poor young man who was turned into a heartless. He mentioned that his squad was wiped out by creatures that he had never seen before. Was this what he meant. Were these creatures also heartless?

"Princess, I think this may be Wardes's doing." Louise said

Henrietta turned her attention to Louise. "What do you mean?"

"The young man that turned into a heartless warned us that there were creatures that attacked him an his men. When Wardes attacked us, he used the power of darkness. You remember me telling you right?"

Henrietta nodded.

"Then I think that somehow Wardes has gained enough power to control these creatures."

Henrietta bit her lip, as she looked up at the seemingly endless amount of heartless. "What are we supposed to do?"

Louise clenched her eyes closed as she clasped her hands together. "Roxas…Please hurry."

* * *

Siesta, Jessica, Amy, Ellie, and the rest of the villagers in Tarbes were also looking up in horror at the sea of creatures in the sky.

"What are those things?" Richard said as he held an axe in his hand.

"I-I doesn't know." Siesta replied, however, from just looking at these creatures, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about them.

"Stay close together." Richard said as he raised his axe. "If anyone dares come near my family…" He growled dangerously.

Most of the villagers also had makeshift weapons, ready to defend there families if necessary, however they were just farmers. If they were attacked, they wouldn't last that long.

And Siesta knew it.

She looked up into the sky again as she closed her eyes. "Roxas."

* * *

Kirche was pacing back and forth in the courtyard while Tabitha was leaning against Sylphid, reading her book. Both had heard about the recent attack on Tarbes, and were really worried about Louise, Siesta, and everyone else they had met.

"Tabitha! What are we still doing here?" Kirche asked as she walked up to the petite girl with her hands on her hips.

"Waiting." Tabitha replied.

"Yes. Yes. I know." Kirche said as she massaged her temples. "But we don't even know if Roxas will show up here. What if he goes straight to Tarbes instead? He does have that Teleport ability."

"I just have a feeling." Tabitha replied as she closed her book and looked up at the redhead.

Kirche stopped her complaining when she saw the look in her best friends eyes. She could see that Tabitha was also worried and it was taking a lot of self-control to not just fly to the battle and help her friends. Giving a small sigh, Kirche sat down next to her and leaned against Sylphids before closing her eyes.

"We don't even know if he will be back soon. He may never come back." Kirche said.

"I know." Tabitha replied as she lightly clenched her fist. "But I believe in him. He promised he would return, so he will."

Kirche glanced down at her friend before she noticed a small blush on her face. This caused a small grin to break across Kirche's face.

"Oh, are you worried about Roxas?" Kirche teased as she poked Tabitha on the shoulder.

Tabitha's face turned a slight darkener shade of red before she opened her book and buried her face into it.

Kirche pouted as she poked Tabitha again. "Hey, Hey! Don't ignore me like that. Put that book down!"

"No."

"Tabitha~" Kirche whined as she tried to reach for the book, only for the petite girl to hold it out of range while still keeping it open so she could read.

Because of there squabbling, they didn't notice a wispy dark pillar erupt from the ground, allowing a figure in a coat to exit the portal. The corridor vanished just as he stepped out. Looking around, the figure noticed two people bickering near the academy entrance. With a smile, he made his way over.

"Tabitha~ give me that book and talk to me!" Kirche said as she made another grab for the book.

"No." Tabitha responded as she held the book out of reach, fixing Kirche with a dull look in the process. However, because Kirche missed the book, she lost her balance and stumbled on top of Tabitha.

Tabitha looked a little annoyed as Kirche continued to reach for the book while she was pinned beneath her.

"Um…what are you two doing?"

Tabitha and Kirche's eyes widened dramatically when they instantly recognized that voice. Both looked up to see a very familiar figure standing there in his black coat. He had his eyebrow raised while his face was courted in confusion. His spiky blond hair was very distinguishable, along with his crystal blue eyes.

"R-Rox-" Tabitha started.

"ROXAS DARLING!" Kirche exclaimed as she jumped off Tabitha and nearly rammed the poor nobody.

Roxas blinked as she felt Kirche wrap her arms around his neck and squeeze him tightly before she stared to rub her cheek against his. His face flared up a little before he awkwardly patted her on the back.

"I'm Back." He said with a small smile. It seemed that they really did miss him, even though he had only been gone for a day at most.

Tabitha's eyebrow twitched a little when she witnessed Kirche's actions before she pulled herself to her feet. She took a few steps forward, however didn't get far when a large blue object rushed past her.

Kirche was laughing joyfully before she noticed something large coming in their direction. She barely had time to see Sylphids charging before her eyes widened. She released Roxas before jumping away, leaving the poor nobody to his fate.

Roxas didn't have time to be confused before he was suddenly plowed over by the energetic dragon. Once again, he was thrown off his feet at the Sylphids tackled him painfully into the ground. She then purred deeply as she rubbed her head over his chest.

Roxas coughed a few times as he tired to regain his breath. "Geese Sylphids. Can to tone it down a notch.

Suddenly, Sylphid's entire being began to glow brightly before her massive frame changed into the shape of a girl.

"Well, that is a little bett-" Roxas started before he noticed that Irukukwu didn't have a single bit of clothing on…and she was still pinning him to the ground. His face faired up before he turned his attention away from her. He still didn't know why his body was reacting like this.

"Roxas! Your back-OUCH! Big Sis Tabitha!" Irukukwu whined as Tabitha grabbed her ear and pulled her off of the nobody. Seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled out a cloak and demanded that Irukukwu put it on.

"But Big sis!"

"Irukukwu." Tabitha warned.

"Fine!"

As Irukukwu was struggling to put the cloak on, Tabitha turned her attention to Roxas, who was in the process of standing on his feet before dusting of his coat. He rolled his shoulder before he met her gaze.

"Thanks Tabitha." He said, his face still a bit red.

Tabitha walked forward before she reached up and pinched the bridge of his coat. "You kept your promise."

Roxas smiled down at her as he patted her shoulder. "I did. But what's going on right now? Is everything ok?"

Solemnly, Tabitha reached up and grabbed a fistful of his coat before looking into his eyes. "No. Albion has issued an attack." She responded.

Roxas's eyes widened before dread started to fill his chest. "What?"

"Yeah." Kirche said as she walked up. "Albion has made their move."

Roxas growled as he clenched his fist. He didn't expect Albion to make there first move already.

"Where?"

Kirche looked a little grim before she bit her lower lip. "Tarbes."

Roxas's eyes widened even further. That was the small town where Siesta lived.

It was under attack?

"How long ago."

"Just this morning. Princess Henrietta and her forces should be there now."

"Damn it!" Roxas growled as he clenched his fist. "How many do they have?"

"We don't know." Kirche said before she gave a sigh. "But if what I have heard about Albion is right, then they will most likely be attacking with large flying ships. Tristan had the royal griffin nights for Arial battle, but that wont is enough. It-It does not look good. Tristan didn't have time to react to a sudden battle."

Roxas clenched his fist again. How could he go up against something like that? He didn't have that kind of firepower...

 _Don't flatter me Xehanort. During this whole battle, The Forgotten Light has been siphoning my magic from me. All I had to do was wait for the opportune moment._

Roxas's eyes widened as that small memory played through his head. He remembered watching as Kida shot the massive laser at Xehanort, and the destruction is caused.

"That's it." He whispered as he raised his right hand. Kirche and Tabitha watched with raised eyebrows before the Forgotten Light appeared in his hand.

Roxas stared down at the dark keyblade before he closed his eyes. "Please, lend me your power."

Suddenly, he threw the keyblade into the air. Tabitha, Kirche, and Irukukwu watched at a bright light emitted from the Keyblade before it suddenly transformed into something they had never seen before. It was a…Vehicle of some form.

Roxas watched as Kida's glider hovered in front of him. Now there was no doubt in his mind. These dreams he was having were actually memories of the deceased keyblade master. This glider was more than enough evidence of that. And if that were true, then maybe this would be possible. Roxas wasted no time in jumping on the glider and grasping the handles.

"Roxas! What is this?" Kirche asked as she walked forward and gingerly touched the metal frame of the glider. "I have never seen anything like this."

"I don't have time to explain right now. I have to get to Tarbes."

"Then why don't you use the Corridor?" Asked Tabitha. She was also trying to get over the shock of seeing this new…thing that Roxas was riding.

"It's hard to explain, but I need to charge this glider so I can take down one of the airships when I get there. I have to charge it on the way using my magic." Roxas started as the glider began to rise from the ground. "I have to fight. I can't let them die."

Tabitha and Kirche looked at each other for a second before they looked back at Roxas. A soft smile crossed Kirche's face as she nodded.

"We understand. Go get 'me Roxas."

Roxas nodded before the glider turned around and suddenly blazed off in a flash of speed, leaving Kirche and Tabitha to pick their jaws off of the ground. They watched, as he became nothing but a speck in the background.

Kirche massaged her temples as she looked at Tabitha. "I swear, he is going to be the depth of me if he keeps surprising me like that."

"Do you think he completed his goal?" asked Tabitha.

"Well, Why don't we find out?" Irukukwu said with a fanged smile before she began to glow brightly again. Standing in her place was Sylphids in her dragon form. She knelt down, beckoning Tabitha and Kirche to jump on her back.

Kirche looked at Tabitha before she grinned. "Things are never dull with Roxas around."

"I agree." Tabitha said as she and Kirche jumped on Sylphids back.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yeah yeah, I know. Another cliffhanger. But like I said, the length of this chapter was getting ridiculous, so I had to split it up. I know I said this last time, but the season finale is coming up quick. I have a lot of it written already, but I need to fix up a few details before it is done. Not much else to say. School is killing me and I find that writing is one of my only escapes.**

 **Please leave a review and tell me how I did. Things are going to be very interesting next chapter. Also, you may be in for a small surprise, so look forward to it. Thanks again for all those who review. It means the world to me.**

 **Until then!**


	18. Chapter 18: Mage of Light

**Well, here, the season finale of A Heart in the void. Sorry, it took so long. As you can see by the length in this chapter, it took a while to get it done and edited. So my plan was actually to split this story up, but after reading your reviews and thinking about it some more, I decided to leave it all in one large fan fiction. It would be easier to manage, so that's what's going to happen.**

 **Speaking of reviews, I just wanted to thank you all for getting me to 550+ …I really am blow away by the amount of support from you guys. I was just your average Joe that liked to write and thought it would be cool to post something about my favorite Kingdom hearts character. I never expected that so many people would enjoy it. It really means a lot and you have inspired me to not only continue writing this, but to also keep working on my original work. Yes I am writing a book right now, but I still need to do a lot of work on it. Almost done with version three however.**

 **I just want to say this, thank you all for supporting the story by favoring, following, and reviewing. It means a lot to me and I really enjoy reading your thoughts on the story.**

 **Anyway, because I need to make a new rough draft of season two, the first chapter may take a while to come out with. Now that so much has changed, my rough draft is basically worthless. I need to hammer out some details for season two before posting.**

 **So now that the season finale chapter is here, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the story as a whole so far. I would really appreciate it of you would leave a review and let me know. And please…PLEASE don't comment on the spelling. I already KNOW that is an area I have to work at. When people only mention spelling errors in their reviews, not only is it annoying as hell, but also it is completely and utterly useless. Spelling errors are an easy fix, just go back and change a letter or two.**

 **Imagine this from my perspective. I spend a lot of time writing a chapter, thinking of dialoged for the characters, how the story will progress, ext.…ext. I triple check for errors by reading out loud and then I post. And for all that effort, the only thing someone has to say about it is "U Have Typo!" Tell me that is not annoying as hell.**

 **So if you want me to get started soon on the next season, do NOT do that. It really demotivates me from posting content.**

 **Now that my rant is over, thank you for all those people who actually give meaningful comments, encouraging comments, worth wile criticism (Like pointing out plot holes and such), or just dropping by to say good job. Thank you to all the people who actually enjoy the story and realize that this is something that I do in my free time. It is a fan fiction, not a published work. It is not going to be perfect. I am not getting paid to do this, so I am not going to dedicate my life to finding all the spelling and grammar errors. I will do the best I can, but I am only human. I make mistakes. For those who realize this and just enjoyed the story, thank you very much. Your comments are appreciated and you guys are the reason this story lasted so long.**

 **Now this is not the last chapter of this season because there will be an epilogue that I will post soon. Thank you for you patience.**

 **Anyway, this was a long authors note and I apologize for keeping you waiting. Please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: The reason I give these warnings is to tell you that I KNOW there are errors. Comment on something else please. The Beta reader will help with the grammar and spelling.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 18

The situation was looking especially hopeless as Henrietta and Louise watched the battle commence. The griffin knights had taken to the skies in an attempt to launch an attack on the flying forces of Albion. However, these strange creatures at Albion's command easily thwarted them.

Henrietta and Louise could only watch in horror as the knights were quickly defeated before the creatures turned their attention to them. That was not even their only problem though. The ground forces of Albion were also advancing upon them and after seeing these things destroy the areal fleet of griffin Knights, the small army at Tristan's command were having doubt about their chances of victory.

Henrietta looked over at her long time friend before she gave her a sad smile. "I didn't expect this kind of power from Albion. It-It doesn't look like we will make it out of this alive."

Louise scrunched her eyebrows in sadness as she turned her attention to the advancing army of creatures at Albion's command. Based on the fact that some of them looked exactly like the one that attacked Henrietta earlier today, she could only assume that they were heartless as well. She didn't know how, but Albion seemed to have leaned how to control them.

Looking back at the princes, Louise gave her a comforting smile. "Whatever happens princess, I with you till the end."

"Thank you Louise." Henrietta said sadly as she watched the army of heartless advance on them. A determined look crossed her face as she turned to her trusted musketeer. "Agnes, get ready!"

"Yes, your majesty." Agnes responded before she turned her attention to Tristan's small forces. "Ready your weapons. We are going to defend our country."

Most of the people in the army had an unsure look on their faces as they watched Albion's forces grow closer by the second. However, there was also determination and unwavering courage. They wanted to protect the country that they loved.

Agnes nodded once before she turned to the princess. "We are ready. On your command princess."

"Thank you Agnes." Henrietta said, determination in here eyes as she drew her wand. She looked between Albion's flying forces and the ground forces a few times, wondering how they were going to survive this. Raising her want, she faced the enemy. "EVERYONE" She started, watching the heartless advance with every second. With one swift movement, she thrust her wand forward. "ATTAC-"

"DRIVE, WISDOM!"

No one knew what to expect when they would advance on Albion's seemingly unbeatable army, but just as Henrietta was about to issue her command, a stream of blue energy bolts sailed over their heads and slammed straight into the oncoming Arial fleet of Heartless. The bolts were followed by a wave of strange violet colored projectiles and continued to rain down on Albion's forces, completely obliterating a major portion of flying forces.

Henrietta, Louise, and Agnes all stared in wonder as the Heartless dissipated, laving only a glowing heart behind before it to evaporated into the air. They were not the only ones. The rest of the army was trying to pick their jaws off of the ground. No one had any idea what just happened. One second they were about to be overwhelmed by these creatures of darkness, and then these creatures were just destroyed by an unknown force.

"What-What just happened." Henrietta whispered as she continued to stare into the sky. Albion's air forces stopped there advanced in confusion as well, looking at the place where a major portion of there fleet had been destroyed.

Agnes was just as baffled as the princess was. However, a quick movement she caught from the corner of her eye snagged her attention. She looked to the right of Henrietta to see one of the dark, shadowy creatures attempting to sneak up on the princess. Her eyes widened in Horror as she jumped down from her horse.

"YOUR HIGHNESS! LOOK OUT!" Agnes screamed.

Henrietta only had time to glance to her side before she saw the Heartless already leaping into the air, launching an attack right at her. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw its wispy hand heading straight for her face.

SQUELCH

Henrietta could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes wide as she stared at the hand that had stopped just inches from her face. The Heartless had suddenly stopped just before the attack landed. She looked past the hand to see its beady yellow eyes for a few moments before she looked down at the creature's chest. Her eyes widened even further when she saw what had stopped the heartless from landing its attack.

A Sword.

A silvery blade was protruding from the chest of the heartless. The Heartless suddenly went limb before it dissipated into particles of darkness. Henrietta could only blink a few times before her eyes landed on another creature, one she had never seen before. It seemed to be made of pure silver. It had a sword in its extended hand, signifying that it had been the one that killed the heartless and saved her life.

Its frame was rather slender, and it was wearing a metal helmet that seemed to be apart of its body more than anything else. It also had another sword in its other hand.

A sudden noise caught Henrietta's attention, forcing her to look away from the strange new creature. She looked to the front of her army to see more of these curious creatures suddenly appearing out of seemingly nowhere. The only sign was them arriving through a silvery portal that looked similar to how Roxas used the Corridor of darkness.

The creatures all had their swords out, facing the approaching army of Heartless. They didn't make a sound, nor even acknowledge Tristan's forces as they watched the ground forces approach.

"W-What are these creatures?" Agnes suddenly said as she stood by Henrietta, her sword drawn. The silvery being just ignored her as it walked away to join the others. Agnes watched its every move in confusion.

Louise also had similar thoughts as she looked at these being. She had never seen anything like them in her life. However, someone rather particular caught her eye about them, something that they all had in common

A very familiar symbol on their backs.

"Where have I seen that…" she started until her eyes widened. She quickly turned to Agnes and Henrietta, who were still staring at new creatures. It looked like Agnes was on about to attack one of them. "Agnes wait!"

Agnes halted as she looked at Louise with an eyebrow raised. "What!?"

"These creatures. I-I think they're on our side."

"How can you be sure?" Agnes growled as she looked at the being. They all had their backs turned to them. It was the perfect opportunity to attack if they were a new enemy. True, one of them had saved Henrietta…but that didn't mean anything.

"That symbol on their backs. I have seen it before." Louise said as she pointed at one of the creatures.

"You have?" Henrietta asked as she glanced between Louse and the creatures.

Louise nodded her head. "Yes. It's the same symbol Roxas had on his coat when he fought against Fouquet. When he…transformed."

Henrietta looked at the creatures again. All of them had their swords out, ready for battle. They didn't seem to have the slightest interest in her or her army. "Then-" Henrietta started as a new hope started to fill her heart. "Then that means Roxas-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, several shadows shot over their heads, causing them to look up with wide eyes. There were move silvery creatures flying over them, but they were a little different than the ones on the ground. Some of them were carrying lances, others were carrying a…weapon of some form, and some were wearing long silver cloaks that covered their entire faces.

However, something else caught their eyes, a figure right in the middle of the group of creatures. It was a black…Device of some kind with a person riding on top, wearing a blue coat.

"Who is that? What is that?" Agnes asked as she stared in the sky at the new fleet of silvery areal creatures.

"Roxas." Louise whispered, tears peaking the corners of her eyes.

"Incoming." Agnes roared, pulling Louise's attention away form the group of flying creatures. Louise looked at the advancing army of heartless. The silver creatures suddenly charged, but they were heavily outnumbered. Even with this new addition, it didn't look very good for Tristan.

However, out of nowhere, the silvery portals suddenly appeared. Silver creatures of many shapes and sizes appeared and joined already charging forces. These being were different than the others. Some were very slender, but had larger heads, others were enormous and carried around a massive hammer-like object, while others seemed to just dive into the ground and swim in the earth like it was an ocean.

All of these different creatures rushed forward to meet the heartless on the battleground.

Agnes, Henrietta, Louise, and the rest of the army could only watch in wonder as they two forces collided with a devastating force. The heartless leaped on the silver creatures before the retaliation began. Swords swung, destroying the heartless one by one. Hammers smashed the heartless into dust, while the underground beings started slicing them from the safety of the earth.

"What the hell is going on? What are those things?" Agnes roared in confusion as they watched the gruesome battle commence.

Louise glanced at Agnes before she turned her attention to Henrietta. They had a very good idea of what these creatures were, and why they were helping them.

"They are the Nobodies."

* * *

"SIESTA! LOOK OUT!"

Siesta barely turned before a black claw heading straight for her face enveloped her vision. However, the creature was suddenly crushed as Richard smashed the head of his axe on its body. Ever since the battle started, these creatures had started to attack them as well. A few of the villagers had already fell victim to them.

Richard roared as he swung his axe at another creature, only for the creature to jump back and maneuver around him. It then set its eyes on Siesta.

Siesta could only watch in horror as the dark creature suddenly sunk into the ground and crawled like a shadow around the chaos. It stopped right in front of her before it morphed back up from the ground, its beady yellow eyes showing only one desire

To consume her.

Soon, the creature launched itself into the air, ready to take her life.

"SIESTA!" Richard bellowed as he saw the creature attack. He was about to rush to her, but another creature stood in his path. "OUT OF MY WAY!" He shouted as he swung his axe again

Siesta closed her eyes, waiting for the impact to take her life.

SLICE

Siesta continued waiting for the attack to land. She waited and waited, but nothing happened. Finally, she peaked her eyes open. What she saw caused her eyes to widen immensely.

Standing in front of her was a silvery figure with a sword extended. The creature that tried to attack her was impaled on the end of it. It struggled there for a second before it dissipated into particles of darkness.

Siesta could not help but stare at this strange being. It was slender and had another sword on its back. It wore a helmet that seemed to be a part of its body, and its entire frame was covered in silver and white clothing.

Richard slammed his axe down on the creature before he turned his attention to the silvery being next to his daughter. He grit his teeth before he raised is axe and charged.

"AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU MONSTER!" he roared as he swung his axe. The silver being simply sidestepped the attack and faster than Richard could react; thrust its sword straight at him.

Richard saw the blade coming straight towards his face, so he clenched his eyes closed, waiting for the blow that would end his life.

SQUELCH

Keeping his eyes closed, Richard could feel the wind of the blade pass right by his shoulder, but completely miss his head. Peaking his eyes open, he saw the silvery being with its arm extended, the blade passing over his shoulder. Curiously, his gaze followed the blade until his eyes met another dark creature that was just inches away from landing an on his back. The silver creature had its blade going straight through the dark beings head.

Richards eyes widened as the dark creature suddenly dissipate. Slowly, he turned his attention back to the thing that saved him. However, he was shocked because it completely ignored him and began to walk away while drawing its other sword.

Suddenly, pillars of silver erupted from the ground. More of these beings started to appear as they surrounded the surviving villagers, but they didn't attack, instead they began to attack Albion's invading forces. Not a single villager was attacked by this new being. It was only a matter of minuets before the dark creatures were wiped out. However, the silver beings still stood there, their swords ready, almost like they were commanded to watch over them.

"What-What are these things?" Amy said as she shakily walked up and stood by Siesta.

"I-I don't know." Siesta responded as she continued to stare at these strange creatures.

"Well, whatever they are, they completely destroyed those…things that had attacked us. Does that mean they are on our side?" Jessica asked.

"We don't know for sure, stay together." Richard said as he held his axe in both hands. He narrowed his eyes as he watched another dark creature try and attack, but it was easily destroyed by the silver beings. Not a single dark creature was able to make it through the barricade.

Suddenly, a movement caught Richard's. He turned his head before his eyes widened. "Ellie! What do you thing you are doing?" he barked.

Said girl had gained a large amount of courage and approached one of the beings with two swords. It was seconds later before she was staining right next to it. She looked up at the being curiously, but it didn't even seem to notice she was there.

"ELLIE BEHIND YOU!"

Ellie barely managed to turn around to see one of the dark creatures had snuck up behind her and lunged. However, there was a flash of silver as a blade passed through the dark creature, causing it to vanish into partials of darkness. Ellie stood there in shock for a moment before she slowly turned to her savior.

The being was facing her now, staring down at her with its helmet like head. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the being suddenly sheathed one of its swords and reached down towards her.

Ellie flinched before she closed her eyes in fear. But instead of pain, she felt something really familiar. Her hair being ruffled exactly the same way that …

"Roxas" Ellie whispered suddenly as she looked up at the creature. It had withdrawn its hand and drew its word again before it rushed forward to attack another enemy that tried to get past the barricade.

 _I have to find the lesser nobodies._

"Roxas." Ellie said a little louder before she turned to the rest of them. "Its Roxas!"

"What?" Siesta said in confusion.

"Its Roxas, he is the one that is doing this! Don't you remember? He said he needed to find the lesser Nobodies. I-I think he did it!" she exclaimed before she hurried back to the group.

Richard had an eyebrow raised in confusion as he looked at the surrounding creatures. He was still a little uneasy about them, but they had saved not only him, but the rest of the village as well. He watched as a ground of them began to fight a horde of the dark creatures.

"What are you talking about?" he asked

"Ellie, are you sure?" Amy asked.

"I am positive! I don't know how, but I can just tell that this is Roxas's doing."

Suddenly, The entire group looked into the sky to see more silvery being flying through the air and destroying the aerial fleet of creatures at Albion's command. In the middle of them was a dark object, however, it was a little to far away to tell who was riding it.

"I hope you're right." Amy said.

Siesta was looking up into the sky as he watched the creatures around the dark object fire projectiles at the opposing army, completely whipping them out. So far, it had looked like they were on there side. And if they were, that meant...

"Roxas." She whispered.

* * *

"Wardes." Roxas whispered in horror as his Sniper Nobodies fired another round of sharp-shooting arrows. "What have you done?"

The dragoon, Sniper, and Sorcerer Nobodies were flying right next to him as they soared through the air, shooting down the various low levels heartless. When Roxas had first entered the battleground, he was beyond shocked to see an advancing army of Heartless attacking his friends. The first thing he did was command the Samurai, dusks, creepers, and Berserkers to protect his friends and destroy the heartless.

He then had the aerial nobodies follow him and take out the flying heartless. However, there were a lot of them, forcing him to call upon his wisdom form even through Kida's glider had been syphoning magic from him for the entire trip. The gage on the glider was almost filled and was rising steadily, but the sheer amount of magic it took to charge this thing was beyond ridiculous.

The Wisdom drive had been very useful because he was able to fire projectiles like the sniper nobodies to destroy the heartless. Currently, the oathkeeper was hovering over his left shoulder while The Forgotten Light was over his right. It was almost like he was a miniature gummy ship.

Roxas maneuvered the glider down as a dragon heartless launched at him. Immediately, the Oathkeeper angled upward and released a flurry of blue bullets at the creature before it dissipated into particles of darkness, leaving the heart to fly into the air before vanishing.

Roxas looked over at the two ships that were at Albion's command. From what it looked like, they were just as shocked as he was, so Wardes's ability to summon heartless was more current that he thought

But how had Wardes gain that much power over the darkness in such a short amount of time? How was he able to summon this many heartless to aid him in battle? Roxas had not seen a single heartless ever since he got here. But now here they were here and this world was subject to their terror.

Now he knew his choice to recruit the Nobodies was the correct one to make. There would have been no way for him to take on this many heartless and protect everyone at the same time.

* * *

Wardes was watching the whole thing from the safety of one of the ships. His teeth were grinding together in anger. It had all gone so well at the beginning. He summoned a multitude of these heartless in order to completely overwhelm Tristan. However, the tables turned when that boy arrived.

There were no words to describe the amount of shock and anger Wardes felt when he saw a large portion of his heartless destroyed in a single attack by the oncoming silver creatures and Roxas riding in the middle of them.

"Wardes! What is going on? You said we would have no problems here! You said these creatures would win us this battle, but what I see is them being destroyed." Cromwell said as he stood behind the enraged man with his arms crossed.

Wardes took a couple deep breaths as he turned toward the leader of Reconquista. "Not to worry, I will see to it personally."

"How?" Cromwell asked.

Suddenly, one of the heartless dragons landed on the ship right in front of Wardes. "Best way to kill a snake, cut off the head." He said simply as he jumped onto the back of the dragon. They both lifted off of the ground before taking to the skies.

* * *

Roxas quickly swerved the glider to avoid a couple dragon heartless as the flurry of sharpshooting arrows impaled the creatures, curtsy of the sniper nobodies. Breathing a sigh of relief, Roxas looked at the gauge on the glider. It was nearly full. Glancing at the side of the glider, he could see the mega laser was just about fully charged, which was a good and a bad thing. The good thing was that he was close to unleashing a devastating attack on Albion.

But the bad thing was that there were two ships at Albion's command. There would be no way for him to charge the laser again using his magic power because of the sheer amount it took to charge it. Not to mention, the wisdom drive was depilating his magic faster than he expected and this was the second time he had used it today.

Looking at the ship again, Roxas's eyes widened as he saw another fleet of heartless charging, but this time, someone was leading them. His eyes narrowed when he easily recognized the figure riding on back of one of the heartless.

"Wardes." Roxas growled as he looked around at the surrounding nobodies. "Buy me some time. I need to finish charging the Mega laser. Make a wall!"

Immediately, A group of Sorcerer Nobodies advanced to the front lines. Soon, a large number of cubes formed around them before they extended their arms. The cubes suddenly shot forward and assembled themselves in the form of a massive wall before each individual cube started to rotate. It looked like a massive grinder as the heartless crashed into the wall.

It was a nearly gruesome sight as the rotating cubes started to grind the heartless into nothing but particles of dust, however, the number of heartless continued to increase as they pushed against the walls.

Wardes had stopped right in front of the barricade before he thrust his hand forward, sending more heartless at the barrier.

Roxas had ground his teeth, as he forced more magic into the glider. The gage was just about full now. Glancing up, he noticed that a few of the heartless had made it through, but the dragoon nobodies easily wiped them out with their lances. However, the heartless still pushed against the Sorceress wall, causing it to warp a bit.

Looking down at the gauge again, a small smile crossed his face when he saw it full. He could feel the power of the Mega laser condensing at the bottom of the ship. It was perfect timing too as the heartless suddenly broke through the wall and started to overcome the Sorcerer nobodies.

Roxas hovered his hand over the firing mechanism as he saw the heartless advance. He only yelled one thing before he slammed his palm on the button.

"MEGA-LASER"

* * *

Siesta, Amy, Jessica, Ellie, Richard, and Rachel all watched in awe as the battle commenced in the sky. They saw the wall of cubs form to protect the small black object, but they also witnessed the barrier break after a few moments. But what really caught their eye was a brightly glowing sphere of energy below the dark object. It seemed to pull there attention and even light up the battleground slightly.

"What is that-" Siesta started.

"MEGA-LASER!"

* * *

Louise, Henrietta, and Agnes were also watching in awe as the battle commenced. They didn't even need to do anything as they watched the strange silver creatures destroy the heartless before they even got close. They watched the aerial battle commence as well, and intense it was.

A sudden wind caught their attention though as a familiar blue dragon landed next to them. Louise turned her attention to it before she saw a couple familiar faces jump off the dragons back.

"Tabitha! Kirche!" Louise said as she hopped off her horse and approached the duo. Henrietta approached as well with Agnes right behind. Both stayed on their horses.

Kirche and Tabitha were looking around at the strange beings on the ground and in the air before they turned their attention to Louise. "It seems Roxas made it in time…and he accomplished his goal." Kirche said.

Henrietta looked at the two for a moment before she glanced down at the battle. "So these really are the creatures Roxas went to get?"

Both Kirche and Tabitha nodded. "He returned a few moments ago. We let him know that Tarbes was under attack, and off he went without a word. In fact…" Kirche said as she pointed to the black dot in the midst of the nobodies. "Roxas is riding that…Thing. I don't know what it is, but he used it to get here."

Everyone turned to aerial battle. That was when they noticed a bright light on the bottom of the dark object. It seemed to light up the battleground slightly, almost like a falling star.

"What is that?" Louise asked curiously.

"I don't know. Roxas said something about charging the-"

"MEGA-LASER!"

* * *

The next instant caused everyone who was watching to be overwhelmed with awe. The bright light suddenly erupted in a powerful beam that shot straight through the armies of heartless, destroying a vast number of them, before it slammed directly into one of Albion's war ships. The ship suddenly exploded into flames as bits of wood and debris flew in all directions.

The beam blasted a hole straight through the ship, causing it to plummet to the ground in a broken heap of scrap wood, metal, and fire. Everyone watched in silence at it finally crashed into the ground, sending dirt, dust and debris cascading up into the sky.

The entire battlefield seemed to stop as they stared as Albion's destroyed warship. In a single attack from a tiny figure, they had lost one of there most valuable assists in this battle.

Wardes had been lucky enough to dodge the beam, but could only stare in disbelief at what had just occurred. He never expected something like this to happen. Albion was supposed to just dominate this battle to make a statement for the rest of Tristan to see. But now, it looked like the tables had turned.

And it was all because of one. Wrenched. Boy.

Slowly, Wardes turned his attention to Roxas, his eyes bloodshot with rage. Things would have been so easy had he not shown up. But even since they're first meeting, he had been nothing but a thorn…a very LARGE thorn…in his side.

Roxas was also blown away by the sheer amount of destructive power that the laser had. But with that power had consequences. Roxas felt his drive form fade of his body as his coat turned back to its usual black color. His magic was completely devastated at this point, leaving him exhausted once again.

But he had to admit.

It was worth it. Once of Albion's strongest forces were down for the count, their armies were scared, and Tristan would gain a bit of confidence from his. However, the problem was that now he was very tired and would now be able to fight much longer. Good thing there was a solution through. Roxas was breathing heavily as he reached into his pocket. He withdrew his triumph card.

"This…is my last…one." He said to himself through pants. He quickly popped off the lid and was about to drink it, but he noticed a very fast moving object coming straight at him. He barely had time to dodge as a blunted sword-staff headed straight for his face. He quickly swerved out of the way before readjusting himself. He looked at the perpetrator, only to see Wardes there, his face courted in the uttermost rage.

"You ruined everything!" He shouted as dark energy began to seep from his form. "This would have been so simple had you not been here. We would have had Louise, the first void made since Brimir himself, we would have won this battle easily, and taken over Tristan in a matter of weeks. But you had to be here to ruin it all!"

Roxas stared at the man, watching as the powers of darkness continued to seep from him. "Wardes, why did you betray Tristan? Why did you summon the heartless here?"

"Oh, so you do know about the heartless." Wardes said as he narrowed his eyes. "You will never understand why. I was offered power, something that all nobles seek, so I took it."

"But you gave up everything in return. You gave up the people that cared about you! People that looked up to you, people that respected you! Is gaining power really worth that much?"

Wardes wavered a second before he shook his head. "Yes. It is the pride of a noble to have as much power and influence as possible."

Roxas looked at Wardes in pity as he through about what Kida said to Xehanort.

 _What a hollow and empty existence._

"Wardes." Roxas started as he glared at the man. "Its that pride that will be your downfall."

"We will see about that." Wardes said as he waved his hand. Immediately, more heartless appeared out of the corridors of darkness before they shot at Roxas. However, they were immediately thwarted by a group of nobodies.

Roxas frowned as he took his gaze of off wards for a second and looked at his elixir. He really needed to drink it to get back his strength. Roxas lifted it to his mouth, about to empty the bottle.

Wardes saw this and immediately focused the powers of darkness into this staff as he started to chant a spell. Immediately, black arcs of lightly shot straight at Roxas.

Roxas barely saw it coming, but couldn't move out of the way fast enough. His hand was hit with the arcs, causing him to drop the elixir. Gasping in pain as he held his singed hand, he watched in horror as the precious potion plummeted to the ground.

Gritting his teeth and trying to ignore the pain in his hand, Roxas made a nosedive, heading straight for the falling potion. Wardes mimicked the action as he commanded the heartless to shoot straight at down as well. He used the power of darkness to further increase the strength of the heartless he was riding, causing it to speed up to Roxas and the glider.

Roxas felt the wind whipping against his face as he approached the falling potion. He reached out his good hand, hoping to catch it before it hit the ground.

He barely managed to feel the glass of the bottle on his fingertips before an immense pain erupted from his back.

"AUG!" Roxas screamed as he felt his entire body fry. Wardes's Lighting had struck him, complexly throwing his exhausted form from the glider. He watched as the elixir continued to fall away from him as he now plummeted to the ground, the keyblade glider changing back into The Forgotten Light as it fell beside him.

"This is the end for you Roxas!" Wardes said as he waved his hand. Immediately, a wave of heartless appeared before they shot straight at the falling nobody.

Roxas was gasping in pain as he continued to fall to the ground. He barely even managed to hear Wardes words because of the amount of pain he was in. He could feel the wind wiping through his air and coat as he plummeted to the ground. His vision was a little blurry from Wardes's attack, but he could kind of make out the shapes of oncoming heartless heading in his direction.

He got carless.

By taking his eyes off Wardes for a second, the mage used that to his advantage to land the attack that made him drop the elixir. Now he was dazed and venerable, right for the picking if any heartless decided to land there attack.

"I can't die here. I want to live…I want to exist." Roxas whispered as he saw the claws of the dragon heartless heading straight for his falling figure.

Looking up into the sky, Roxas felt his hope leaving him as the nobodies were already preoccupied by other heartless, so they didn't have time to make it to him. He looked at the sun, really appreciating the warm rays against his skin, because this may be the last time he would feel it.

If only one of the moons wasn't about to block it, it would have been a perfect ending for his existence.

A shadow seemed to cascade over the entire battlefield, causing everyone to look up. One of the moons had fully overcame the sun, creating a solar eclipse, but there attention was drawn more to the fact that there hero was falling to the ground, complete venerable to attacks from the enemy.

When Roxas saw the heartless's attack was inches from landing, he looked into the center of the eclipse, ready to accept what was about to happen.

Ready for everything to end.

"I guess I was always destined to fade away. It's the fate of a nobody." He whispered.

Just as he said that, Roxas's eye caught something in the middle of the eclipse. He narrowed his eyes a little, trying to make out the object. It was green, and in the shape of an oval. For some reason, it looked really familiar.

"What is that?" Roxas couldn't help but wonder.

There were no changes to the portal for a few second. However, that all changed when a stream of energy bullets erupted from the green oval before they collided violently with the heartless surrounding Roxas. All of them dispersed and Roxas watched as there hearts floated into the air before disappearing. He turned his attention back to the oval, his eyes wide with confusion. What had just happened? Where had he seen that green portal befor…

His eyes widened immensely as he suddenly remembered. This portal was the same one that Louise used to summon him here.

Suddenly, an object burst forth from the portal before the green oval disappeared. Roxas's eyes widened drastically as he immediately recognized the shape of the thing. It was a ship of some sort, completely white with cannons hovering over the side of it. These ships came in many forms, but they were all classified under the same name.

"A Gummy Ship!" Roxas exclaimed as his eyes widened.

The Gummy ship took a nosedive right after Roxas, quickly speeding past him until it situated itself below him. Suddenly, the hatch opened up and Roxas could not help but be surprised by whose face he saw.

"Sora!" Roxas yelled as he saw a familiar brown haired boy looking up from the pilot seat.

"Roxas!" Sora yelled as he maneuvered the ship so Roxas would land inside. Sora pointed his keyblade at him. "Aero"

Roxas felt the wind from the spell surround him and cushion the impact of landing in the ship. He hit the ground softly before the hatch immediately closed.

"Sora stay focus!" Said another voice. Roxas turned his head to see another familiar face.

"Riku! What the hell is going on?" Roxas exclaimed.

"We will explain in a second." Sora said as he maneuvered the ship and fired a stream of lasers at an oncoming army of heartless, completely obliterating a majority of them.

Roxas was beyond confused at what was going on. Why were Sora and Riku here? How were they here? How did they know he was here?

"Sora, there is a lot of them, Pay attention!" Riku said.

"Shudap!" Sora said as steered the ship towards the ground and fired a few homing lasers at a group of grounded heartless. "Why are there so many here? Why are the Nobodies here?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he shook his head. He would wonder about Sora and Riku showing up later. There were other things he needed to focus on.

"They are being controlled by him." Roxas said as he pointed at Wardes through one of the windows. If this had been any other time, Roxas would have laughed at the expression on Wardes face. It was one of pure disbelief and anger. "I don't know how, but he is controlling the heartless and using them to try an win a war. We have to stop him."

Riku and Sora looked at each other for a moment before Sora let off a smile. "Well, usually we are not supposed to meddle, but since the heartless are involved, that mean this is our problem." He said, causing Roxas to smile at his somebody. Sora had not changed a bit.

Suddenly, a blue dragon appeared next to the ship. Sora turned his attention to it, ready to fire the cannons, but Roxas jumped forward and grabbed his wrist. "STOP! Those are my friends!" he said as he looked over at the people riding the dragon. It was Sylphid…and she was carrying Louise, Tabitha and Kirche. They were staring at the Gummy ship in the same amount of Awe and disbelief as Wardes was.

"Sora, can you destroy the heartless. I have to stop Wardes from summoning the heartless here." Roxas asked.

Sora immediately nodded as he turned to his Nobody. "You have made a lot of friends here haven't you?" He said with a smile as he opened the hatch.

Roxas walked over to the open door before he turned to his other. He gave a grin. "Oh, you have no idea." Immediately, Roxas looked out the door to see Sylphid flying besides them. He took a deep breath before he jumped out of the gummy ship.

Sylphids saw him falling and immediately rushed over to catch him, which she did quite easily.

"Roxas! What the hell is happening? What is that thing?" Kirche questioned as she pointed to the gummy ship, which was currently releasing a stream of energy bolts and destroying a vast number of heartless.

"I will explain later, but we need to stop Wardes." Roxas said. Truthfully, he didn't know if he could though. He lost the elixir and was completely exhausted.

"How? How are we supposed to stop him?" Louise asked.

"I-I don't know. I am drained, and the only thing that can stop the darkness is using the Keyblade, or the power of light." Roxas responded.

Everyone paused for a moment as they thought about how to stop Wardes, but no one was coming up with any solutions.

Suddenly, Louise remembered when she destroyed the heartless that attacked Henrietta with her magic. She glanced down at her wand, wondering if she could do anything to help.

"Roxas." She started.

"What?" Roxas responded as he looked at her.

"When you were gone, we were attacked by a heartless. It was about to kill the princess, but I was able to stop it somehow."

Roxas's eye widened when he heard that. The easiest way to destroy the heartless was either using the Keyblade, or using Light. But Louise had never been able to cast magic properly. She could not use Water, Fire, Wind, or earth magic…

Suddenly, Roxas remembered something he learned while attending class with Louise. There were not just four elements. There were five.

The last one was Void.

 _We would have had Louise, the first void made since Brimir himself._

Roxas remembered Wardes saying that. But if that were true, and Louse was a Void mage, how was this magic able to destroy the Heartless. What was the void that it allowed her to protect the princess? Were the Void and Light connected somehow?

Roxas thought back to the time where he was floating in a vast void of light when he was absorbed into Sora before the battle with Xemnas. He was supposed to just fade away, but somehow Louise summoned him from that void.

Suddenly, Roxas felt something click in his mind. If Louise summoned him from the void, and the void was light, did that mean…

"Light" Roxas whispered as he turned to Louise. "The Void is Light."

Louse looked at him in confusion before something over his shoulder caught her eyes. "Roxas! Look out!" she yelled as she pointed her wand over his shoulder. Roxas's eyes widened a bit a he felt a tug on his keyblade. He also saw the tip of her wand glow brightly as it ejected a tiny beam of light. His eyes followed the beam until he saw it collide with a heartless that had attacked from behind. Said heartless exploded before a heart as released out of the midst of the creature.

That was more than enough for Roxas. He felt another tug on his keyblade, so instead of resisting it, he let the oathkeeper flash into existence in his right hand. It immediately jerked in Louise's direction, causing everyone to look at Roxas with eyebrows raised.

"Roxas! What are you doing?" Kirche asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Louise." Roxas said, getting her attention. "Wardes was right when he said you were a void mage, but he was also wrong. You are not a mage of the void."

"W-What are you talking about?" Louise asked.

"I am going to unlock the power that is sleeping deep within you. You are not a mage of the void." Roxas said as a circle of light began to form around the keyblade.

"You are a mage of the Light."

Suddenly, the tip of the keyblade erupted in a beam of light. It hit Louise directly in the chest causing everyone's eyes to widen, including Louise's. However, she didn't feel any pain. Instead, she felt an overwhelming power well up within her. The power was so strong that it actually overwhelmed her senses, causing her to fall into a trance.

Suddenly, she stood up on the back of Sylphid and pointed into the midst of the heartless and Albion's second battle ship. She began to chant a spell.

Kirche, who was sitting right next to her suddenly, wrapped her arms around Louis's midsection so she didn't fall off of Sylphid's back. She glared at Roxas.

"What did you do to her?" she demanded.

"Hold off the heartless! Let her finish the spell. I don't know what will happen, but it's the only chance we have now." Roxas said as he turned and threw the Oathkeeper at an oncoming heartless.

Kirche looked a little skeptical, but nodded. She drew her wand and shot a fireball at an uncommon heartless.

Tabitha waved her staff, creating a massive gust of wind that held the heartless at bay before Roxas thrust his hands forward. Immediately, dragoon Nobodies appeared at there sides and destroyed them with their lances.

The onslaught was not done there. Hordes of heartless began to surround them. However, Sora, Riku, and the Gummy ship were destroying most of them.

Finally, one more figure appeared before them, his face courted in rage. "Why? Why do you always stand in my way?" he yelled. "Why are you so strong?"

"You will never understand Wardes." Roxas said as he heard Louise finish her spell. Her entire being started to glow in the brightest light. "You will never understand the true power that comes from protecting others."

Then it happened. Louise waved her want and everyone was forced to shield their eyes from a massive source of brightness from Louise's wand. It seemed to consume everything in its path. All of the heartless were completely obliterated by the light as it continued to spread. It consumed the last ship at Albion's command, causing it to erupt in flams and descend to the ground.

Everyone from the ground to the sky had to shield his or her eyes as the light continued to overtake everything.

Finally, for what seemed to be hours, the light suddenly faded. The results were more than substantial. Every Heartless was gone, leaving only the nobodies and the gummy ship flying through the air.

However, Roxas notice that all of them were falling as well. His eyes widened as he looked at Sylphid. She had completely fainted and was falling to the ground. Tabitha was holding onto her neck and trying desperately to wake her up while Kirche was hanging onto Louise with one arm, her other was holding onto Sylphid for dear life.

Suddenly, the Gummy ship flew right past them before it stopped beneath them. The hatch opened and there stood Sora and Riku. Sora had his keyblade out as he pointed at the falling people

"AEROGA" He yelled.

Immediately, a current of air surrounded the massive dragon and everyone else before they were slowly lowered into the hatch of the ship. Roxas was impressed the ship was large enough to hold them all, but he didn't have time to worry about that right now. He was completely and utterly exhausted.

Right when they landed in the ship, Roxas fell off the dragon before he hit the ground. He was breathing heavily and really wanted a nap right about now.

"Well…that was something." Riku said as he looked at the group of people.

"You can say that again." Sora responded as he sat back down on the pilot seat and flew the ship down to the battleground before he landed it. He heaved a sigh before he stood and approached his nobody. He then extended his hand. "You ok down there?"

Roxas looked at him flatly. "Do I look ok?"

Sora laughed as he scratched the back of his heads with his other hand. "Not really."

Roxas chuckled as he grasped Sora's hand. Sora pulled him to his feet before he looked at the others…and the dragon, which had regained consciousness at this point. That did little to stop Sora from approaching though.

Sylphids watched as Sora approached her. She stared into his eyes before she leaned forward and nudged his chest. When Sora reached up and scraped her on the ridge of the eyes, she suddenly melted, cooing contently.

Roxas had to smile when he saw this. Of course Sylphids would like Sora.

"Um…not to be rude…or ungrateful that you save us, but who are you?" Kirche asked as she gently jumped down from the back of the dragon. She was looking around the gummy ship with an unsure look on her face because she had never seen anything like this before. Truthfully that made her uncomfortable.

"I would like to know as well." Tabitha said as she glanced at Sora and Sylphid interacting. Sylphid seemed to approve of this boy, so he must not be that bad.

Riku gave a sigh as he lightly knocked Sora on the head.

"Ouch! What's that for?" Sora said as he rubbed his head.

"Still a sap. Before you go petting someone else's pet, you should at least introduce yourself." Riku said as he turned to the two conscious people. Third one was lightly sleeping on Sylphids back still, obviously exhausted with the sheer amount of power she put behind that spell.

"Yeah yeah." Sora said as he approached the two. He gave a wide smile as he thumped himself on his chest with his fist. "I'm Sora."

It took a second for Tabitha and Kirche to register that, but when they did, their eyes widened drastically.

"You're Sora?" Kirche asked, as she looked him up and down.

Sora raised an eyebrow before he nodded.

"My name is Riku." Riku said as he put his hands in his pockets.

Kirche and Tabitha turned their attention to the taller boy, there eyes widening as well.

Riku noticed their behavior before he raised an eyebrow. "Based on your reactions, you seem to have heard about us."

Kirche nodded. "Roxas told up about you two." She aid before she turned to Sora. "You are his…somebody, right?"

At hearing this, Sora could not help but sigh. "Yes, but that's not fair to Roxas."

Roxas smiled slightly as he looked over at Sora and Riku chatting with his other friends. They hadn't changed much. Sora was wearing a new outfit. It was similar to his last one in terms of color, but the trim was red and his gloves were more like gauntlets now.

Riku had grown out his hair a little bit since his adventures in the sleeping worlds, but his cloths looked exactly the same.

"You're the one that saved the worlds from falling into the darkness?" Kirche asked, sounding a bit impressed.

Sora chuckled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. He really didn't like the recognition. "You seem to know a lot."

"Roxas told us." Tabitha said as she turned to the nobody. She had a small smile on her face as she approached him. "You kept your promise."

Roxas smiled down at her. "I did. I said I would return."

"Welcome back." She said as she slowly reached up and wrapped her arms around his midsection, rested her head against his chest.

Roxas felt his face flair up a little as he slowly returned the hug.

"Awe! Now I feel left out! Tabby, no fair!" Kirche gushed as she rushed over to the duo and wrapped an arm around each of there necks.

Sora and Riku blinked a few times before they looked at each other. A small grin split across Sora's face as he crossed his arms. "It looks like you made a lot of friends since you came here, Roxas."

"Like I said…" Roxas responded as he looked at Sora. "You have no idea." He had a little blush on his face as he tried to nudge Kirche off, but as usual, he didn't get anywhere.

BAM BAM

Everyone was shaken from there stupor when a sudden banging was heard on the side of the ship. Curiously, Sora walked over to the pilot seat before he glanced out the window. He saw a few people standing, luckily.

"Friends of yours?" Sora asked as he pointed out the window.

"Most likely." Roxas said as he finally released himself from Kirche and Tabitha's grip.

Riku gave a sigh as he stretched his arms. "Well, so much for keeping a low profile."

"Trust me." Roxas said. "We are far beyond that point."

"It would seem so since the heartless are here on this world." Sora said. "But I haven't seen that many in a while. What is going on here?"

"I don't have a clue. This is the first time I saw them since I came here…Speaking of which, how did you know? How did you find where I was?"

"That…is a long story." Sora said before he glanced out the window again. "I will tell you later. It looks like we have a little explaining to do."

Roxas glanced out the window again and saw that some of his friends were looking at the gummy ship with a little impatience. "Your right. Do you want to meet my friends?"

"Of course." Sora said, exited at the possibility to meet new people.

"Sap." Riku said with a small smile.

"Shuddap!" Sora responded before he walked over to the pilot seat and hit a switch. Immediately, the hatch swung open again.

* * *

Henrietta could not believe what she was seeing. From what started off as being a massacre on their side suddenly turned when Roxas showed up with these Nobodies that Louise had been talking about. They fought and fended off any heartless that dared come near her and her army.

Both she and Agnes had their eyes glued on the aerial battle between Wardes and the strange ship that appeared out of the eclipse. However, the real surprise came with a massive flash of light suddenly engulfed everything, leaving all of the heartless completely destroyed. There was only a brief moment of panic when she saw Louise, Tabitha, Kirche, Roxas, and Sylphid all fall to the ground, but that changed when the strange ship flew below and caught them.

Of course, she was still a little worried because she had no idea what this ship was. Was it friendly? Was it a new enemy? Based on how it attacked the heartless, she was hoping for the former. Without it, they would have been in big trouble.

"Agnes." Henrietta suddenly said, getting the attention of the head of the musketeers. "I am going down to see if I can get some answers." She said as she watched the ship float to the ground.

"Is that wise your highness?" Agnes responded as she stared suspiciously at the object.

"It is. Besides, Roxas and Louise are down there. I have to make sure they are safe." She said as she turned to Agnes. "Please accompany me, but only you. Keep the rest of the army here."

Agnes looked behind her at the small army they had. They were all looking curiously at the strange ship as well. "You heard the princess. Stay here while we investigate." She said as she turned back to the princess. "Are you ready?"

Henrietta nodded, but she still had a very unsure look on her face. She didn't know what she was getting herself into, but she needed to know if this ship was on there side or not, and she needed to see if Louise and Roxas were safe.

"I am ready." She said as she and Agnes rode their horses down the hill towards the ship.

* * *

Siesta, Ellie, Richard, Jessica, and Amy all stared up into the sky in wonder after the light had consumed all the heartless. The second ship was down and the creatures that had attacked him were either caught up in the light, or were destroyed by the silver creatures that were protecting them.

Currently, everyone was safe and sound. The silver creatures were still on guard though, looking around for any straggling heartless they may have missed. However it looked fine now.

"What-What in the world is going on?" Richard suddenly said as he nearly dropped his axe. He and the rest of his family watched as the flying ship caught the dragon and its riders before it slowly lowered to the ground. "Its just like in my grandfathers story. How the dragon raiment came out of the eclipse."

Siesta looked up at her father before she focused her eyes on the ship. It was on the ground now, and she was sure that Roxas and the rest of her friends were inside of it. She easily recognized the blue dragon as Sylphid. She no doubt was trying to help Roxas in this fight.

However, she was really worried about what was happening inside that ship. Sure it appeared and kept the creatures of darkness at bay while Roxas fought, but that was not enough to garnish her trust so easily. She needed to know.

Suddenly, a small figure moved past her before it started to walk towards the ship. Siesta's eyes widened when she saw it was Ellie. Immediately, her hand shot out and rested on her shoulder.

"Ellie, what are you doing? Where are you going?" Asked Siesta. She was not the only one. Amy and Jessica rushed forward as well, giving her a small frown.

Ellie just frowned up at them in return. "Roxas is down there. I want to see if he is ok."

"Ellie…" Amy started as she knelt down to get eye level with her sister. "We don't even know if it is safe to move yet. We don't even know what that thing is. We can't just walk up to it."

Ellie stared Amy straight into the eye. "Its ok. I know it is."

"How?"

"I just have a feeling. It came here and fought against those creatures. I know it won't hurt us, just like those silver creatures."

Amy, Jessica, and Siesta stared at the small girl, wishing that they had a fraction of her courage and faith when it came to the unknown.

Giving a sigh, Jessica turned to Richard, who was looking around at the rest of the villagers that managed to survive. Some were injured, and others were fatigued. She noticed that Richard, Scarron, and Rachel had gone to help the people that needed it. She then looked back at Amy, Siesta, and Ellie.

"Well, if we want to check it out, now is the time. Uncle Richard and my father are distracted, so they wont stop us."

Siesta glanced over at her father, who was helping an injured man stand on his feet. "Lets go then." She said, getting a little courage as well.

* * *

Roxas watched as the hatch opened. Immediately, Sylphid looked up before she launched herself out of the ship. She was feeling a little Closter phobic inside the small space. The side door of the gummy ship also opened, revealing many familiar faces to Roxas.

Roxas gave a tired smile before he jumped out of the ship. He landed on the ground, but wobbled a little, still fatigued from all that had happened that day. Fighting Maleficent, using Wisdom Drive twice in one day, and fighting a freaking war was one way to get yourself exhausted.

He barely managed to regain his balance before a small blur hit him, making him nearly collapse on the ground. He felt two small arms constrict around his neck again, making it a little harder to breath.

However, Roxas gave a small smile as he easily remembered who always did this to him. He reached up with his uninjured hand and gently patted the small person on the back.

"Hey Ellie, I'm back."

Ellie didn't say a word as she buried her head into his shoulder and held on tighter.

Roxas chuckled as he felt Tabitha and Kirche land on the ground next to him. They seemed a bit tired as well after all that had happened today. Kirche gave a grin as she reached up and riffled Ellie's hair, causing the girl to look up and meet the red-head's gaze.

"You!" Ellie said as she puffed her cheeks out at her. "Stay away from me!"

"Awe! Done be like that." Kirche said as she gave a playful pout. "I just want give you a big hug."

Ellie watched as Kirche opened her arms wide, inviting her to enter.

Ellie however only saw one result from that…. A severe lack of oxygen. Immediately, she buried her head into Roxas's shoulder again and held on.

Kirche chuckled a bit as she rolled her shoulder. "I am just teasing." She said before she noticed a few other figures approach. "Jessica, Amy, Siesta." She greeted.

"Mistress Kirche." Siesta responded with a small bow before she looked at Roxas. She began shaking just a little as she saw him turn towards her. He had a small smile on his face as he gently pealed Ellie off of his torso.

"I'm back. Just like I promised." He said.

Siesta bit her lower lit as she tried to keep the tears from leaking out of her eyes. But it was hopeless as few trickled down her cheeks.

"You-You are back."

Roxas scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. She was crying. Why was she crying…

 _The reason why she was crying was because she was relieved…and happy._

Roxas remembered when he healed Tabitha's mother. He remembered that Tabitha actually cried. He then remembered Kirche's explanation as to why she was crying. It was because she was happy and relieved. So Siesta…

Roxas was suddenly cut from his thoughts when Siesta rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his shoulder, shaking just slightly.

Again, Roxas stood there like a rock, a little shocked because the motion as so sudden. This really reminded him of the time he saved her from count Mott. How he just stood there while she cried against him.

Now he knew a little better.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close.

Everyone around could not help but smile slightly at the adorable scene. There was a little jealously in the mix, but no one was about to ruin this moment.

No one besides…

"Ahem"

Siesta and Roxas jumped a little before they turned their attention to two other people that had just jumped down from the ship.

Sora was standing there with a grin on his face. His hands were behind his head, a mannerism that he had never really lost throughout the years.

Riku was just standing there with his hands in his pockets. He was looking at them with his eyebrow raised, but had a small smile on his face as well.

Soon, everyone had their attention on them. Jessica, Amy, Ellie, and Siesta all stared at the newcomers, not really knowing what to say.

Suddenly Ellie walked forward and pointed at them, trying to look a little imposing. "Who-Who are you?" she asked.

Sora looked down at the little girl and laughed slightly at her tough attitude. "Nice to meet you. I'm So-"

Sora was suddenly cut off by a couple more people that approached them on horseback. Roxas turned his attention to the newcomers before he instantly recognized them.

"Henrietta, Agnes." Roxas greeted once they were close enough.

Henrietta stayed on her horse as she stared at the two new people and the ship behind them. Agnes however jumped down from her horse and drew her sword.

"Who are you? Answer me!" she barked.

Sora's eyes widened as he raised his hands in a calming manner. "We mean you no harm. We were just trying to help."

"And how do I know that?" Agnes accused as she gripped her sword. "You appeared out of the eclipse. How do I know that you are not just Albion spies?"

"Agnes. It's fine. I know them." Roxas said, getting the attention of everyone around him.

Henrietta stared at Roxas for a long time as a small smile crossed her face. "It's good to see you Roxas. I was afraid that you would be to late."

"I was afraid as well." Roxas responded as he looked at the princess. "I'm glad I made it in time."

"You did. Thanks to you, minimal lives were lost on our side." She said as she turned to Agnes. "Lower your sword."

"But your highness!"

"Agnes, I trust Roxas. If he says they are not our enemy, I will believe him."

Agnes hesitated greatly, but agreed. "As you wish." She said as she slowly sheathed her sword. However, she didn't stop glaring at the two of them.

Henrietta smiled at her before she turned her attention to the two boys. They didn't look much older than her, but they both held themselves like seasoned worriers. The one with silver hair seemed to be the serious one. He looked like he was standing casually, but it was easy to tell that he was on guard.

She then glanced at the other one, who was chuckling nervously at Agnes's glare as he scratched the back of his head. He seemed to also be on guard despite the carefree aura he seemed to emit.

"My name is Princess Henrietta. As grateful as I am that you aided us in this battle, I have to ask, where did you come from? Who are you?" Henrietta asked with a small smile on her face.

Sora and Riku looked at each other for a second before Sora faced forward. He playfully straightened up before he gave a small bow, a grin still on his face. "I'm Sora. Its nice to meet you princess."

Riku gave an annoyed sigh at Sora's antics. "My name is Riku."

Right when everyone heard that, they're widened. Everyone except for Agnes knew the story behind Roxas. Now they were looking at a boy who he claimed he was created from. In a way, they could see how. Despite having different personalities, there mannerisms were very similar.

Right now, Henrietta had so many questions running through her mind that she didn't even know where to begin.

"I-It seems like we have a lot to discuss. However, my armies are weary, and it looks like you are as well." Henrietta started as she glanced over at Roxas. It looked like he was barely able to keep standing. She couldn't really blame him. He and his Nobodies basically fought the entire battle today. "We will prepare a celebratory banquet at the castle. Will you join us? And maybe answer a few of our question regarding these…Creatures that attacked us?"

"Your Highness, I advise against that. We don't know who they are." Agnes protested as she shot a suspicious glare at Sora and Riku.

Sora scratched the back of his head awkwardly again.

"Agnes." Henrietta said firmly. "Louise trusts Roxas. He helped us win this battle. I will trust Roxas if he says they are on our side. We need to know what we are up against."

Agnes grit her teeth a little before she clenched her fist. "As you wish, princess."

Henrietta nodded before she turned back to Sora and Riku. "Please forgive Agnes. She is a very good knight, but sometimes she can be a bit overprotective."

"Not at all." Sora said instantly as he smiled at them. However, his expression then turned serious. "I will try my best to answer your questions on the heartless. Just…" he said before he turned and looked at the gummy ship. "We will need to put this somewhere for now. Somewhere were it won't be noticed."

"Then I have just the place." Henrietta said with a smile.

Suddenly, the temperature seemed to drop again. Roxas's eyes widened when he felt the darkness approach once more. "Impossible." He whispered.

Roxas was not the only one. Both Sora and Riku felt it as well. They instantly narrowed their eyes as they looked around.

"Haaaa. Haaaa"

Instantly, everyone turned their attention to heavy breathing coming from the side of the gummy ship. Their eyes widened when they saw a figure there.

"Wardes." Roxas growled as the oblivion appeared in his hand.

Wardes was looking worse for ward. He was bleeding profusely through multiple wounds on his body, but the wisps of darkness were still here.

Sora's eyes widened when he saw this. Immediately, the kingdom key appeared in his hand as he got into his stance. "What is going on? Is this the person who was controlling the heartless?"

Roxas nodded. "Yes. Somehow, he has gained enough power to summon them here."

"Haaa. Roxas. I will destroy you. You will not stand in my way anymore." Wardes strained out through clenched teeth. He waved his one good hand, causing about 10 shadows to appear behind him. He they thrust his hand forward. "Attack!"

Riku suddenly summoned his keyblade as all three Keyblade masters waited for the heartless to attack.

However…

Wardes waited with his hand thrust forward. He waited for the heartless to rush past him and attack the people in front of him, however, they didn't move from their spot. Blinking a few times, he looked over his shoulder to see their beady little eyes on him instead. They were creeping towards him; there body's arched in an attacking position.

Wardes eyes widened immensely, as did everyone else's. "What-What are you doing? Attack them!"

The shadow heartless ignored his order as they continued to advance on Wardes. Wardes panicked a bit as he turned around to escape, but found his rout completely blocked off as more heartless rose from the ground and circled around him, cutting him off in all directions.

"Stop! I command you to stop! Attack them! What are you doing?" Wardes shouted in panic as they enclosed on him.

Suddenly, Wardes remembered something that the hooded stranger said to him when Wardes demanded the power of darkness.

 _Heartless are fickle creatures. They follow who is strongest and will not hesitate to betray you._

Wardes's eyes widened a he began to panic. "NO! Stay AWAY! I AM STILL THE STRONGEST! OBEY ME!"

 _Remember that this is what you wanted. Do not blame me if it betrays you in the end._

Suddenly, the heartless lunged at Wardes, and in his weakened state, he could do nothing as they started to consume him.

"NO! GET AWAY FORM ME!" Wardes cried, but it was no use. The darkness was staring to consume his very being until he was completely overcome by it.

Everyone could only watch in horror as Wardes's entire frame was consumed by the darkness. Finally, it was all over, and Wardes was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was the little shadow heartless.

Everyone was completely astounded by what had happened to the man. Ellie was clinking tightly onto Amy's arm. Siesta had her arms wrapped around Roxas's arm as he held the keyblade in his other hand. Henrietta was shaking on her horse, which had nearly bucked her off when the heartless appeared. Jessica, Amy, and Kirche were all holding onto each other as they witnessed the gruesome scene. Agnes had drawn her sword, but was shaking badly at what she had just witnessed. Sylphid and Tabitha was both just staring at the place where Wardes used to be. Sylphid's paw was in front of Tabitha protectively, just in case the heartless tried something.

Sora and Riku just looked at the spot in pity as they dismissed their Keyblade's.

Roxas stared at the shadow heartless as they turned their attention to the group. He grit his teeth as he crouched down, ready to fight them, however, they did something else instead.

They stared at the group for a second before they all suddenly disappeared into there own separate corridors of darkness. Roxas blinked a few times as he slowly eased out of his fighting position. He was expecting them to fight, but they just left, almost like they weren't even interested in them.

"What-What was that?" Henrietta asked as she shakily turned towards the rest of the group.

Sora gave a sigh as he faced them. "We have a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

 **Author's note: This took a while to get out, for that I apologize. It was very fun to write and I hope you all enjoyed it. There will be a LOT of dialogue in the epilogue, but it will be a little shorter in length, so I hope you are ready for some serious explanations. Answers like, what were Riku and Sora doing there? How did they know Roxas was there? How did they get there? Why do they need Roxas? Ext Ext. All will be answered in due time. Did you like the surprise? Don't think you expected to see Sora and Riku make an appearance. Thank you all for reading and have a Merry Christmas.**

 **Until then!**


	19. Chapter 19: Heart of a Nobody

**Authors Note: Here is the epilogue, so I hope you enjoy. I started this fanfiction in June, and since then, I have written over 190K words. 190K words in 6 months is not that bad of a feat, and I have you guys to thank for it. Your support has been a massive motivation to get updates out for you all to enjoy. Thank you again for making this a very enjoyable experience. With this chapter comes the end of the first season of the story.**

 **Like I said last chapter though, I will take some time off to figure out my rough draft for season two and make some adjustments. I also want to focus a little on my other fanfiction. I have not updated it for a while and it is bugging me now. I hope you can all understand.**

 **Warning: Again, there will be some spelling errors. I know.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 19

The first battle was finally over. The streets of Tristania were filled with cheering people as Henrietta and her small army rode triumphantly through the center. The crowds were waving and calling out congratulations for Tristan's first victory over Albion. Henrietta was elegantly waving to the crowds as she passed by them.

Following behind her on horseback was Agnes, who acted professional as always while ignoring the numerous catcalls from the male population. She was followed by Sylphid, who was carrying Tabitha, Kirche, and Louise on her back. Kirche seemed to relish in the attention, waving seductively and capturing many hearts by blowing a few kisses into the crowd.

Tabitha had the same blank expression on her face as she casually read her book. She completely ignored any and all attention directed toward her.

Louise however didn't know how to take this kind of praise. When she had awoken earlier, she was greeted with Princess Henrietta engulfing her in a tight hug, thanking her for helping them win this war. She was a bit confused at first until everyone explained what happened and her role in Albion's defeat.

There were no words to describe her amazement as the explanations finished. Not to mention the constant praise and gratitude she received from everyone in the group. Not being used to it, she nearly shrunk back a little and tried to make herself as small as possible while her face supported a massive blush. Since her whole life consisted of people telling her that she was useless and a complete failure at magic, she was not used to people thanking her and telling her she was useful. It…was almost overwhelming.

Behind them was the rest of the army on foot. Roxas, Sora, Riku, and Siesta were in the midst of them. They didn't mind it because it gave them less attention since everyone was more focused on the nobles. Sure Roxas, Sora, and Riku were given some curious glances because of the way they were dressed, but that was as far as it went.

The other solders were waving enthusiastically to the cheering crowds as they walked by. The citizens of Tristania were showering them with praise and congratulating them on a job well done.

It was hours later that Sora, Riku, Roxas, Siesta, Louise, Tabitha, and Kirche were all sitting at a rather large table in the princess's castle. After the final incident with Wardes, Henrietta instructed Riku and Sora to drop their gummy ship off at the Tristan academy of magic. Since there were not a lot of people there right now, it would be safe and hidden.

The real hilarity happened when professor Colbert saw the foreign machine. He nearly fainted with excitement as he rushed over to it and began to scribble down notes and schematics in his notebook. Sora and Riku had a good laugh as the man examined every inch of the gummy ship, saying that professor Colbert and Cid would get along well.

Jessica, Amy, and Ellie decided that they had enough excitement for one day and didn't make the journey down to the castle with them. They decided to say in Tarbes and help anyone in need. However, Siesta said she would give them the details after she returned.

The banquet Hall in the castle was filled with laughter as the solders drank themselves stupid, celebrating the first victory of Tristan. However, besides the small army that attended the battle, no one really knew what happened. That was because princess Henrietta ordered them to keep quiet about it. She instructed them to just say it was a regular battle that they won. She didn't want anyone to know that Albion had forces like the heartless on there side. However, she didn't want anyone to know that Tristan had the Nobodies either. With that kind of force under Roxas's command, she knew that some of the nobles in high power would seek to abuse that ability and she didn't want the extra bloodshed.

Riku and Sora sat at a table with Roxas as they slowly sipped on a glass of water. A few people had thrown curious glances over at them, but for the most part everyone seemed to mind there own business. There was idle chitchat going around the table as they waited for Henrietta to finished giving an inspiring speech about war, dedication to one's country, the blessings that would come from fighting, and the rewards of victory. Once she was done with her spiel, she was rewarded with more cheering from everyone in the banquet hall.

Roxas and everyone at his table watched as she elegantly made her way through the crowd and towards their table. She would have been stopped along the way had Agnes not been there and scared everyone away with her piercing gaze. Once Henrietta made it to the table, she smiled at everyone present.

"How is everything?" She asked.

Everyone glanced over at her as she took a seat at the end of the table. Agnes took a seat on her right side.

"Good." Sora said as he casually drank from his glass.

"Glad to hear it." Henrietta responded before she leaned forward and rested her chin on her intertwined fingers. "Not many people will pay attention to us here since they are all busy with…other things." She said as she glanced around, watching as the rest of her solders drank merrily. She turned back to Sora and Riku. "You said you would explain some things when you have the chance. I believe that now would be a good time. So what are we up against? Why are you here?"

Sora and Riku glanced at each other before nodding. "Truthfully, we are here because of Roxas." Sora started.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "You are? Why? How did you even know I was here anyway?"

"That would be because of Naminé." Riku responded as he sipped his glass.

"Naminé?" Roxas asked, his eye widening a bid. "How? Didn't she become a part of Kairi? Didn't she disappear?"

Sora scratched the back of his head as he tired to figure out a way to explain this. "Roxas, there is something that you need to know. After I saw you in the sleeping worlds, I figured something out. You see, what Xemnas told you about the nobodies was a lie. Nobodies like you actually have the ability to grow your own heart."

"Yeah. I know."

Sora blinked a few times. It was obvious that he didn't expect that kind of answer. "You…Do? How?"

"A lot has happened since I came here." Roxas said. "It became obvious because I could…feel. If feeling existed within me, I knew something had to be there."

Sora crossed his arms and adopted his thinking pose. "Makes sense. I wish we knew that before you became apart of me again. But where I am going with this is that you were not the only one. Naminé is a nobody like you, so like you she actually developed a heart before she became apart of Kairi again."

"Hold on! I'm confused, what are you talking about?" Louise suddenly asked. "Who is Naminé?"

Sora blinked a few times as he turned his attention to her and the rest of the group. Everyone seemed just as confused as Louise. He laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, that topic is a little complicated. Maybe Roxas can explain it later."

"Oh sure, dump that on me." Roxas said with a small grin on his face.

Sora also chuckled as he continued. "Like I was saying, even though Naminé is apart of Kairi, she still exists. Her heart is still there. The reason we knew you were gone was because Naminé could not feel your present anymore, almost like you just disappeared from me."

"And the reason was pretty clear though." Riku said, throwing Sora an 'I told you so' look, causing Sora to roll his eyes. "You just had to blindly walk into a portal of green light, never thinking about what would happen."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas asked.

Riku turned to Roxas. "We were on Destiny Island, training, when a green…portal… suddenly opened in front of us. Sora was being his usual dumb self by just walking right into it without thinking, even though I told him not to. However, he walked right through it, like nothing happened. The portal then closed. We thought it was nothing until Naminé told Kairi that Roxas's presents was gone. We suspected that it was because of the green portal, so we talked to master Yen Sid about it."

"Huh." Roxas said as he scratched his chin. "What did he say?"

"Well, when we described the portal, he seemed surprised, and actually knew that it was. He said it lead to a very special and difficult world to get to. A world that actually already had their keyhole sealed."

"What?" Roxas said, his eyes widening. He was not the only one. Everyone that knew Roxas's story also widened his or her eyes in surprise. "How?"

"How do you think?" Riku responded sarcastically. "What is the only way a keyhole can be sealed?"

"Umm…The Keyblade? But there has never been another keyblade master here beside me…"

 _Six Millennia ago, Kimasaru and Gandalfr kept this world from plunging into the darkness. Kimasaru was a bearer of the Keyblade that survived the aftermath of the keyblade war._

Sora threw a curious glance at Roxas because of his sudden silence. "Is there something wrong?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he looked up at Sora and Riku. "I just remembered something. I meat a…Water spirit…that mentioned a keyblade master that had arrived on this world almost 6 thousand years ago. Do you think he sealed the key hole?"

Sora scratched his chin. "It is possible."

Riku nodded in agreement. "Master Yen Sid said that this world was one of the oldest, existing even before the Keyblade war. But that also makes it very difficult to get to."

"Why?"

"A very unique aspect about this world is the fact that it was not created because of the destruction of kingdom hearts. Many of the worlds that Sora and I have visited were created that way, and because of that, they have a natural link to one another, only separated by invisible barriers that only keyblade masters could bypass. Since this world was not created that way, it lacks that natural link."

"Huh" Roxas hummed. "So that must be the reason why there have not been that many heartless in this world."

"That…and the fact that the heartless are less interested because this world already has their keyhole sealed. Combined with that fact and the fact that this world is difficult to get to kinda demotivates them. Heck, we barely managed to get here."

"How did you get here if it's that difficult?" asked Roxas.

"We only had a small window to get here by gummy ship." Riku responded.

"Small window…?" Roxas pondered.

"Ah!" Siesta said as she suddenly remembered something. "The eclipse."

Riku glanced over at her before he nodded. "That is correct. Even though this world lacks a natural link to most worlds, this place somehow has a door that opens, allowing people to travel here. How did you know?"

Siesta faltered slightly under Riku's gaze. "Well…My great grandfather claims to have come from a different world during an eclipse. And you two showed up during an eclipse as well. I just though...It was connected somehow."

"Hmm" Sora said as he scratched his chin. "Well, Yen Sid said this world was unique in many ways. We may have to keep that in mind."

Riku nodded as well. "Yen Sid said a portal could be opened if it is opened from both sides. Luckily we didn't have to wait that long. Yen Sid was able to open a portal for our gummy ship from our side while the eclipse opened the portal on this side I guess. That's how we found you."

Roxas blinked before he looked down at the table. "Why did you want to find me? Do-Do I have to disappear again? Did you loose half of your power when we separated?"

"…"

At hearing this, the atmosphere immediately turned hostile. Siesta grabbed Roxas's arm with both of hers before she leveled a glare at Sora and Riku. "Well? Did you?" she asked, a bit of venom in her voice.

She was not the only one. The rest of Roxas's friend suddenly glared over at the two boys, even going as far as to reach for their wands.

Sora and Riku sensed the intense atmosphere, causing them to immediately raised there hands in defense. "No! We didn't! Calm down please." Sora said, though it did little to quell the tension.

Giving a sigh, Sora looked at his nobody before he glanced at all his friends. He gave a small smile. "Roxas, I meant what I said when I saw you last. You do deserve as much as I do to be your own person. Even if I did loose half of my power, I would never ask you to give up everything again."

Now that did the trick. The tense atmosphere died off as Roxas blinked a few times. He looked up at Sora to see him giving a sad smile. "I didn't loose anything. Even if I did, I would not take you away from your friends. But…"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"But we need your help." Riku cut in sternly.

"…"

"What do you mean?"

"Xemnas was destroyed." Sora started as he looked at the table. "And before that, I destroyed the heartless known as Ansem. It turns out that the same person created both of them. And when we defeated both of them, that person will return."

Roxas blinked a few times before he processed what Sora was saying. His eyes widened. "Xehanort."

Sora nodded sadly in confirmation. "With the destruction of his nobody and Heartless, Xehanort has returned. He attacked me in the dream world and…"

Roxas stared at Sora for a few seconds as Sora tried to find worlds to describe it.

Riku gave a sigh as he looked at Roxas. "Xehanort tried to take over Sora's body."

Roxas's eyes widened, along with everyone else's.

"What?" Kirche exclaimed suddenly. She, along with everyone else, was confused before they reached this point, but now that confusion increased tenfold.

"Again, this will be hard to understand, but lets just say that Xehanort retuned. He is planning something, but we don't know what. What we do know is that we need all the keyblade masters we can get. We need your help Roxas." Sora finished.

Roxas cast his gaze down at the table. The man that Sora had defeated twice was going to return a third time and try to plunge all the worlds into darkness.

Including this one.

"What do we need to do?" Roxas asked.

"We need to get stronger. We need to prepare for when Xehanort and his 13 darkness's attack." Riku stated.

"Ok." Roxas said before he fixed them with a determined stare. "But I am staying here."

"Roxas…" Sora started.

"This is my home. This is my world. And I will not leave while the heartless are attacking the people I need to protect. There is someone here that is giving people the power of darkness. I need to find out who."

"Yeah. Based on the number of heartless we saw…and the fact that they just left after Wardes was consumed, I would say that someone here is meddling with this world." Riku said as he rested his chin on his fist.

"Maleficent?" Sora suggested.

Roxas shook his head. "No, it's not her. But what I am saying is that I will train here and become stronger."

Sora and Riku looked at each other for a few seconds before Sora laughed. He looked around at all of Roxas's friends. "That will work then. I wouldn't want to separate you from the people you care about."

Roxas smiled at Sora again before something crossed his mind. He needed to tell Sora and Riku about this. However, before he even opened his mouth, he glanced around at all his friends.

The look on their faces told him everything. They were completely and utterly confused at this point. He felt especially sorry for Agnes because she didn't even know his backstory. She was just sitting there with the same neutral expression on her face, absorbing everything, even though she didn't have a clue what was going on. He really didn't want to continue dumping information on them like this without explaining some things and answering a few questions.

"I-I need to talk to you both in private." Roxas said suddenly as he stood from the table.

Everyone raised their eyebrows as they watched Roxas stand. "What's wrong Roxas? Why can you tell us too? I mean, we are already confused beyond comprehension. What would a little more information do?" Asked Siesta.

"Don't worry." Roxas said as he gave Siesta a reassuring smile. "I will tell you all later."

Sora and Riku looked at each other for a few seconds before they stood. "Alright."

Roxas walked out of the banquet hall before they found themselves in an abandoned hallway. When they were finally alone, Roxas turned towards them. They were both staring at him in confusion before Roxas extended his hand. The Forgotten Light suddenly appeared in a flash of light, making Riku and Sora stare at it in shock.

"A little bit after I got here, I fought someone who was after this. They called it the staff of destruction, but it is actually a keyblade called the Forgotten Light." He said.

"Where-Where did you get it?" Sora asked.

"It belonged to a keyblade master known as Master Kida." Roxas said as he let the weapon disappear. "And ever since I got it, I have been having dreams about the keyblade former master. Apparently, Kida was the master of Xehanort."

Sora and Riku's eyes widened immensely. "What? How?"

"I don't know. It's almost like the Forgotten light stored the memories in order to give me a warning. But I learned some very disturbing things about Xehanort from the Forgotten Light." Roxas said as his demeanor dropped slightly.

"What did you learn?" Riku asked.

Roxas bit his lower lip. "Sora, you said that Xehanort tried to overtake your body right?"

Sora nodded in confirmation.

"Well, according to these memories, its not the first time. In fact, he has jumped so many bodies that he is actually very old. He even said he lost count how many times he has taken over someone's body just so that he could continue to exist." Roxas said grimly.

"…"

There were no words to describe the horror, disgust, shock, and disbelief that displayed on the faces of the young keyblade wilders. "That-That can't be." Sora said, not wanting to believe it.

Roxas shook his head. "I didn't want to believe it either, but I know these are memories. I know they are real. Xehanort is a monster that has taken the bodies of multiple people in order to further his knowledge and power over the darkness."

Sora reached up and massaged his temples. "Uh! We need to talk to master Yen Sid and King Mickey about this. If what you're saying is true, then I don't know how we can beat someone with that much experience."

"Yeah, but there is something that's bothering me." Roxas said, getting Sora's and Riku's attention. "If he has been successful so many times in the past, how did he loose his heart this last time? How was a heartless and a nobody created from him?"

Sora and Riku thought about it for a while, but didn't have an answer.

"If we are to defeat him, we need to find that answer. That might be the only way to stop him." Roxas finished.

Riku sighed. "Your right. We will talk to master Yen Sid about it. He may know something.

"Ok, let me know what you find out."

"I don't know if we can. Like I said, this world is very difficult to get to. Getting out of this world is not a problem, but getting here is very hard." Sora said.

"I have a solution to that." Roxas said as he extended his hand. Much to Sora and Riku's amazement, the Corridor of darkness suddenly appeared for a moment before it disappeared.

"Roxas…You-" Sora sputtered.

Roxas nodded. "I have already left and returned to this world by the Corridors." He said as he lowered his hand. "It seems that this is also the reason why it's not to much of a problem for the heartless to get summoned here."

Sora shook his head. "Another question we should ask master Yen Sid about. Why would it be difficult for a gummy ship, but not the corridor?"

"I used it in order to find the Nobodies. They are the only reason we won this battle."

"I saw that." Riku said with an eyebrow raised. "So you are their leader now that the organization is gone."

Roxas nodded. "They listen to me because I was like them. I know what it's like to not exist."

Riku gave a little sigh as he turned back towards the banquet room. "There is something I need to tell you, as well as the rest of your friends regarding the Nobodies though."

"Ok." Roxas said as he followed them back into the banquet room. Oddly enough, when they opened the door, Siesta and Kirche fell to the ground, as if they were pushing themselves against it in order to try and hear what they were saying.

Roxas gave them a flat look as he stared down at them. "What were you doing?"

'Umm…Nothing~" Kirche said as she put the most innocent look on her face that she could muster.

Roxas rolled his eyes before he reached down and helped them to there feet. They all walked back to the table where they found Tabitha, Henrietta, Agnes, and Louise chatting about what they just learned. When Roxas, Sora, Riku, Kirche, and Siesta joined them at the table, they fixed their attention back on them.

Riku gave another sigh as he looked at the princess. "You have to understand this. Roxas can summon Nobodies to fight, but you cannot use this ability except to fight the heartless."

"…"

Everyone's eyes widened, even Roxas's, before Agnes stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "What!? Why?"

"Agnes." Henrietta said firmly, getting her to cam down. Henrietta then calmly looked at the two. "I supposed there is a significant reason or this?"

Both Riku and Sora nodded. "When A Nobody kills someone, it's no different than if a Heartless kills them. The person's heart will be lost and they will turn into a heartless. If that happens, you will be giving whoever summoned the heartless here more power. You will have bigger things to worry about than just a war." Riku responded.

Roxas grit his teeth, but Riku did have a point. If he used the Nobodies to wipe out people, then more heartless would appear on this world. They would go on a non-stop hunt, turning more and more people into heartless and giving whoever is controlling them more power.

He was not the only one that had these thoughts. Henrietta was nearly distraught because that would mean people would be sacrificing their lives in this war. Just when they though they had an edge, it turned on them.

Giving a sad sigh, Henrietta nodded as she turned to Roxas. "It seems that we will only be able to use them if the heartless appear. It is unfortunate, however, if Albion does use that power again, we have something that we can defend ourselves with."

Roxas gave a depressed sigh, but he knew she was right. He would still fight, but the Nobodies would have to be benched until the heartless show up.

"However, the Nobodies will be a great help when we fight against Xehanort." Sora said. "No doubt he will have many heartless fighting with him. If we have the Nobodies on our side, we may stand a chance."

Roxas nodded again.

There was silence for a little while; giving everyone the chance to absorb everything they had learned that night. Suddenly, Henrietta perked up a bit as she cleared her throat.

"Enough of this talk. We have had a grand victory today and we need to celebrate."

"I agree. This serious talk is getting to me." Kirche said as she turned her attention to Riku. A grin crossed her face as she took in his handsome features. "You know." She started as she scooted over to him. "Roxas did mention you, but he never told me how handsome you were." She winked at him.

Riku blinked a few times before a blush crossed his face. "Uhh…thanks?"

Seeing him embarrassed brought a playful grin to Kirche's face. "Ohh, handsome and shy, just the way I like them."

If it were possible, Riku's face went another shade of red. Sora started laughing at his best friend as he took another sip of water.

* * *

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter from the banquet room. From Kirche teasing Riku, to Sora being his goofy old self and telling funny stories about his adventures as a keyblade master, everyone seemed to forget the looming threat of Albion and the Heatless for the evening. It didn't take long at all before everyone was fully comfortable with Sora and Riku. Even Agnes had opened up a bit.

Sora was the cheerful, carefree bum that had such an easy time making friends that is was ridiculous. Riku on the other had was very quiet and cool, but still knew how to crack a joke and had a lot of good one-liners that got the crowd rolling. Ultimately, after all was said and done, the evening was very enjoyable.

* * *

After the banquet was done, Roxas found himself resting his forearms on the rail of a balcony, looking up into the twin moons in the sky. The stars were also shining brightly, but his mind was on other things. Xehanort was back, and one day he would have to leave and fight for the sake of the worlds.

He really didn't want to leave his home, but he needed to protect it. He could not let it fall into darkness.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Roxas didn't even need to look over his shoulder to know who it was.

"Sora." Roxas greeted as he continued to look into the sky.

Sora grinned as he walked up and stood next to him, looking up into the sky. "Quite the view isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I prefer the sunset."

"I know." Sora said, as he turned to his nobody. "I am glad you found a home here. It was never fair that you had to give up your existence."

Roxas gave a small smile as he turned to Sora. "I have found people that don't care about what I am. Those people have helped me grow my own heart. I fight for them."

Sora could not help but chuckle as he looked up into the sky again. "You and I are a lot alike in that respect. We both find power through protecting our friends."

"Of course." Roxas responded with a grin. "I am your Nobody after all."

Sora laughed again as he shook his head. "Now all we have to do if figure out how to restore Naminé. I imagine she is ready to be her own person as well. I'm working on it."

There was a small silence between the two of them before something occurred to Roxas. He turned to Sora with a raised eyebrow. "How are you getting out of here? I don't think another eclipse is going to happen for a while."

"You don't have to worry about that." Sora said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a star-shaped object. "This is known as a star shard, and a very powerful one at that. Yen Sid knew we would be stuck here without it, but essentially, this will be out ticket home." He said a she pocketed the shard and laughed out loud. "I was told that when Xehanort caught Mickey and Riku, Donald and Goofy used the star shard to make it in time to save them."

"Interesting."

"Yeah, but it is difficult to control. It may be able to get us back to Yen Sid, but it also may spit us out in the middle of space somewhere. Luckily this star shard is powerful enough to transport the whole ship so we wont end up in the middle of space without a gummy ship." Sora laughed.

"Only you Sora."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora shot back.

"It's nothing."

The two boys shared a laugh before Sora gave a yawn. "Well, I am going to bed. I should thank the princess for giving us a place to crash for the night. The gummy ship is not all that comfortable and we are going to have an interesting day tomorrow with the star shard."

"Alright."

Sora turned around and walked towards the door before he noticed someone standing there. He instantly recognized her as Siesta. Right as he walked past her, he gave her a small grin. "He's all yours."

Once Sora walked out of the Room, he saw Riku leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Roxas is quite the popular guy." Riku said casually.

"I'll say." Sora responded as he threw his arms behind his head and started to walk down the hallway with Riku in tow. "Your pretty popular as well. I saw that Red-head all over you."

Riku blushed slightly as he turned his head away from Sora. "Shut up!"

"Who knew you were so shy." Sora further poked. "And here I though you were the cool type."

Riku suddenly reached over and wrapped Sora's head in a headlock before giving him a noogie.

"Owe! Lemme go!" Sora said as he slapped Riku's arm away.

"Your lucky it was me she was after. How do you think Kairi would have taken it if she went after you?"

Sora paled a bit. "Yeah…don't want to think about it." He said, causing Riku to chuckle. They both laughed as they walked down the hallway.

* * *

Siesta blushed a bit as she watched Sora walk out of the room. She really could see some similar mannerisms between Roxas and Sora, but for the most part, they were actually pretty different.

Slowly, she walked out into the balcony.

Roxas turned his head to look over his shoulder. He noticed Siesta standing there with in her sleepwear. She looked really tired as well. Luckily the princess was nice enough to give her a room so she didn't have to go all the way back to Tarbes until the morning.

"Hey Siesta." He greeted.

Siesta blushed a bit when she saw him. The glow from the moon was gently reflecting off of his skin, giving him a more vibrant look.

"Roxas." She greeted as she walked up to him. "You kept your promise."

"I did." Roxas said as he gave a small chuckle. "I almost didn't though."

"What do you mean?" Siesta asked as she walked forward and stood next to him.

"While looking for the nobodies, I met an old enemy of Sora's, a powerful one at that. She was about to kill me…"

Siesta nearly choked on her breath as she turned to him. "W-What?"

"She was powerful and nearly killed me. But…" Roxas started as she turned to her. "I remembered that there were people that I needed to protect. People that I promised I would return to. People that care for me despite what I am. You are one of those people. When I remembered everyone's words…and your words, it gave me the power to defeat her. It also gave me the power I needed to win this battle."

Siesta stared at him for the longest time as she bit her lower lip. It meant a lot to hear him say that, more than he knew. However, something else was on her mind.

"But, Sora said they would need you to fight with them…Does that mean you will be leaving?" She asked, her head lowering slightly as she reached up and pinched the bridge of his jacket.

Roxas looked over at her before seeing her downcast expression. It made him a bit sad to see her like that.

"Yes. I will have to go with them. I can't let Xehanort destroy the worlds…Destroy this world."

Siesta's head lowered a bit more as she grasped a fistful of his jacket.

"But…"

Siesta looked up to see his crystal blue eyes staring into hers. They were full of determination and unwavering courage.

"I promise, when this fight is over, I will return. Like I said, this is my home. This is the place where…my heart belongs." He said as he broke eye contact with her and looked back up at the moons. It was difficult to say that because he really didn't want to leave this world.

Suddenly, Roxas felt two arms circle around his front with a weight on his back. Looking over his shoulder, he saw siesta just standing there, hugging him from behind while resting her head against his shoulder.

"I believe you." She whispered as she squeezed tighter. "Can I-can I stay like this for a while?"

Roxas felt his heart start to race as his face faired up slightly. "Y-Yeah."

Unknown to them, three spectators were watching from another balcony.

"Tabitha, Sylphid, it looks like you have a little competition." Kirche said as she gently poked her with a grin.

Sylphid was grasping the side of the balcony with her hands, her face puffed out in annoyance. "Muuu!"

Tabitha however, stared at the two on the balcony for a few moments, her face not showing any sign of emotion. However, she gave a small nod.

"You don't seem to be that bothered by it. Unlike someone." She said as she watched the steam blow out of Sylphids ears. It looked like she was using every bit of self-control to stop herself from leaping off the balcony and flying over to them.

"Roxas is a good person. It was likely there would be competition for him."

"Well, you better hurry, it looks like she is getting ahead of you." Kirche said playfully.

Tabitha turned her attention to Kirche with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you like him as well?"

Kirche laughed lightly before a slightly more serious look crossed her face. "Roxas is a great guy, but I am more interested in poking fun at him and seeming him blush…also…" she said as she turned to Tabitha with a grin. "It is always fun to see your reaction. Its one of the few times you show emotion."

Tabitha felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. So what she was saying is that she clings onto Roxas because it gets a slight rise out of her?

"Devious." Tabitha said simply as she turned and began to walk into her room.

"Would you expect any different from me?" Kirche responded.

Tabitha shook her head, a small smile crossing her face.

* * *

It was long trip back to the academy that took up a majority of the next day. The sun was already lowering again as Sora and Riku found themselves standing in front of their gummy ship, ready to leave. Professor Colbert was scrambling with some paper, making sure he was getting all the notes he could get before they would leave with the ship. He nearly burst into tears when he learned they were departing today.

Sora and Riku were standing in front of everyone, ready to enter their ship.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now." Sora said.

"Thank you for your help in this battle. You two will always be welcome here in Tristan." Henrietta replied with a smile.

"Thanks." Sora said as he turned to Roxas. He extended his hand to him. "Be seeing you around Roxas. Make sure to start training."

Roxas looked at the hand for a few moments before he reached forward and grasped it within his own. "You bet. I will check in with Yen Sid every once in a while to get updated on the news with Xehanort."

"I appreciate that," Sora said before he turned to the gummy ship. Immediately, the door started to open. However, before Sora could even jump in, a white blur suddenly shot out and rammed into the boy.

"URGGG! SORA HOW COULD YOU?"

Sora roughly landed on his back with a small…thing latched onto his chest. Everyone was staring down at him in confusion before they looked at the little creature on his front that was beating his chest with its nubby little hands.

"Sora! How could you forget about me? I was stuck in that ship all day yesterday and today! And-And there was this creepy guy that was studying the outside of the ship the whole time. Why did you leave me?!"

Sora groaned as he looked up at the small creature that was still lightly beating his chest. The creature looked like a plumb, white cat. It had pointed ears, a large red nose, and little blue batwings on its back. However, the most interesting aspect about the creature was a large, red ball attached to its head by a very small antenna.

Roxas blinked a few times as he pointed to the creature. "Uh, Sora? Is that what I think it is?"

Sora looked up before he quickly got to his feet, holding the creature at arms length. The small creature was still swinging its nubby hands at him while yelling in a squeaky voice.

"Yep, It's a Moogle." He said.

"Why do you have a Moogle?"

"Well…" Sora started. However, he was interrupted when the Moogle suddenly got out of his grasp and flew over to Roxas. It had its arms crossed, as it looked him over.

"Is he the one Sora?"

Sora scratched the back of his head nervously as he nodded. The Moogle then turned back to Roxas.

"My name is Suki. I will be in your care."

Roxas blinked a few times as he stared at the Moogle. He then looked back at Sora. "Umm, What?"

Sora shrugged. "Hey, it wasn't my idea."

"It was master Yen Sid's." Riku responded. "Believe it or not, but he suspected that you would be reluctant to leave here. I don't know how effective potions are on this world, but no one can do them better than the Moogles. Suki here, she volunteered to come."

"Dang Straight!" Suki said as she puffed out her chest in pride. "A world where no Moogles have been to? Think of all the new things to experiment with! All the new items that I can make! Ohh, I am so exited!"

Roxas looked between Suki and Riku a few times. He then turned his attention to the rest of his friend, who were also staring at the creature in fascination. Of course, familiars came in all shapes and sizes, but they have never seen a creature like this before.

"So you want her to stay with me?"

Sora nodded. "That wont be a problem right? Suki is a good girl."

Suki flew over to Sora before she bopped him on the head. "You still left me there in the ship! Don't think I will forget that anytime soon." She said before she flew over to Roxas again. Before he could do anything, she flew behind him and flopped right down on his head. "Its nice to meet you Roxas. I hope you are nicer than Sora."

Sora pouted a bit as he rubbed the top of his head. "I didn't mean to. Besides, I didn't know how people would react to you."

"Excuses." Suki responded as she turned her head.

Roxas blinked a time again as he felt her get comfortable. He then turned to the princess. "Will it be a problem? Moogles are the best at making potions."

Henrietta had an unsure look on her face. "I don't know. People will ask a lot of questions. Besides, these potions you brew may help others, but it could have a different affect on the people of Tristan."

Suddenly, Tabitha walked forward. She looked up at the Moogle who was still resting on Roxas's head. She then looked at Roxas. "You said Moogles are good at making potions. Were they the ones that made the Elixir?"

Roxas nodded.

Tabitha trembled a bit before she regained her composure. She turned to the princess. "I vouch for them. If you want my reasons, ask your mother about my mother."

Henrietta blinked a few times before her eyes widened a bit. "I see your point." She said as she turned to the Moogle, who was waiting for there response. "Well, welcome to Tristan, Suki. I hope you will find your stay enjoyable."

"I hope so to. But you look like nice people, so I am not worried."

"We will just have to say that you are someone's else's familiar…" She started before she noticed how comfortable she was on Roxas's head. "And that you really like Roxas. Its not to much of a stretch since everyone knows that most familiars like Roxas."

Suki shuffled around a bit on Roxas's head. "Still haven't decided weather I like him or not." She said playfully.

"I'm right here."

Everyone shared a good laugh before Sora and Riku turned to there ship. "Its time for us to go. We will see you soon, Roxas." Sora said as he jumped into the gummy ship.

Riku followed afterwards before the hatch closed. Vaguely, Roxas could see Sora pull out the star shard before it began to glow erratically. Suddenly, the entire ship was engulfed in the light before it violently shot into the sky. It seemed to bounce around a few times before it disappeared. Everyone stood there for a few moments as they looked into the sky.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I have had a very eventful few days and I think it is time for me to go to bed." She said as she turned and walked away into the academy.

"I agree." Tabitha responded and she was about to follow; however she stopped. Suddenly, she turned around and faced Roxas and Suki before she looked up at the Moogle. They stared at each other for a few moments.

"What?" Suki asked.

"I-Your people made the Elixir that healed my mother…" She started.

"Yeah, so?"

"Thank you. Because of that potion, my mother is back. Thank you." She said as she bit her lower lip. She then looked at Roxas. "And thank you for keeping your promise. Thank you for coming back." She finished.

"Always."

Tabitha gave them both a very rare smile before she turned around and began to walk away.

Roxas could feel Suki shuffle a little on his head. She had grown a little quiet.

"You ok up there?"

"Yeah…Its just…we don't get thanked that much for what we do. People just expect us to make the best items possible and no one knows how hard that really is. Its just new, that's all."

Roxas chuckled as he reached up and patted her head. "Well, get used to it. They may be prideful sometimes, but these are good people."

"Well, I have to get back to the castle and make plans for the next battle. Albion is frightened, so I will have to use that to my advantage." Henrietta said as looked over at Louise and Roxas standing there. "Thank you both for what you have done for Tristan. We could not have made such a bold statement without you two."

"Of course Princess." Louise responded as she gave a small bow.

"Your welcome." Roxas said as he gave a small yawn. Kirche had the right idea. He was still a bit tired after past few days.

Louise, Roxas, and Suki watched as Henrietta's carriage rolled away into the distance.

"So," Louise started as she looked up at Suki. "My Familiar has a familiar…great."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Suki challenged.

Usually, Louise would have retorted, but she was just too tired from everything that had happened. Everything she had learned was taking a toll on her mind and it was going to take a few days for her to fully recover.

However, there was one thing she needed to do.

"Roxas." She started, getting the boy to look over at her. "Thank you."

Roxas blinked a few times, not really used to this changed in her attitude. "For what?"

"Everything." She said as she started to make her way to her room. "Oh, and I would like to ask a few questions about …the light. But not today. I need to think about a few things."

"I agree." Roxas responded, but he was not looking forward to sleeping on the ground again.

* * *

Roxas and Louise walked up to the room while Suki just enjoyed the ride on top of Roxas's head. Finally, Louise opened the door and they walked in, however, Roxas noticed something different abut the room. It seemed a little smaller for some reason. And that reason was sitting there right where he would usually sleep on the ground

A bed.

It was not as large as Louise's, but still a decent size. Any larger would have left no space in her room.

Roxas stared at it for a long time before he turned to the girl. She had a small, embarrassed blush on her face as she rubbed her arm with her other hand.

"Well, I-I may have acted a bit harsh when it came to how you felt about what happened to Wales. I-I wanted to make it up to you…to make you feel a little better."

Roxas stared at her, his mouth dropped open a little. He didn't expect his at all. She sacrificed a large portion of space to actually fit another bed in her room. That was actually…very thoughtful of her.

"Well?"

Roxas turned his head away from her as he walked forward and rested his hand on the bed. It was soft under his touch. He smiled as he looked over at Louise, causing her face to flair up a little more.

"Thank you Louise."

Louise turned redder than a tomato. "Don't-Don't think this means anything. I just-A-A master rewards there familiar every once in a while."

Suki was very confused. "What are you talking about? It's just a bed. Its not like you were sleeping on the floor, right?"

Roxas chuckled a little as he saw Louise turn her head away in embarrassment. He reached up and patted Suki on the head, causing her to purr a little.

"Right."

He plucked the Moogle off his head as he eased his way onto the mattress. It was like heaven compared to the floor. He listened as Louise changed into her nightgown before she too flopped into her own bed. She was asleep within moments.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Suki asked.

"Anywhere you can find room I guess." Roxas responded as he closed his eyes. He felt a small shift on the mattress on his right. Taking a peak, he saw the small Moogle curled up next to him.

Closing his eyes again, Roxas let his mind wander. He thought back on all that had happened since he was summoned. All the experiences that had helped him grow as a person and the people that had helped him along the way.

After being a shell for his entire life, he was finally filled with something other than emptiness. He had what others like him longed for.

A heart.

A heart had grown in the void.

A void that was a Nobody.

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you have it. The first season is done. Thank you for your support on the story.**

 **The last scene when Louise gave Roxas a bed was an Idea from a consistent review known as OrionGold. I read the review and thought it was a very good idea. Just a simple suggestion, but it is a small thing that shows the growth of Louise as a character. Thank you very much for your suggestion. I do read everyone's ideas, but I am a little picky about what I put in my story.**

 **Again, it may take a while to get the next chapter out because I need to change a lot of things from my rough draft.**

 **I stretched the star shard logic a bit so it could work with the story, so I hope it was acceptable.**

 **Actually I stretched a LOT of KH logic in this chapter. Like how Nobodies can turn people into heartless. The only think i have to back that up is when the nobodies defeated Maleficent and how she just disappeared. But again, this is a fanfiction. Not everything is going to be the same as cannon.**

 **Sigh, speaking of which, I also had to nurf the Nobody army a little. Truthfully, I was very hesitant about giving Roxas an army of Nobodies at first because I know people would start spamming my reviews in the future with comments like "Why didn't Roxas just summon a Nobody to…Blah…Blah…Blah" Its overpowered and would have dissolved a lot of key conflict that would make the story interesting. Conflict is needed for a stories success. When a character becomes overpowered to the point where there is no challenge, no one wants to read about that and I would be bored as hell writing about it. So that is my reasoning. Conflict and challenges are good in a story. The Nobodies will not be able to fight Tristan's war for them, but they will fight against the heartless in the future, *Spoiler alert***

 **Don't forget to leave your thoughts in a review. I really appreciate it and this story has been a blast to write. Everyone have a happy new year. 2016 is looking promising.**

 **Until then!**


	20. Chapter 20: Reliability

**Authors Note: Hey everyone. Well, I am back now. I have been working a bit on the rough draft, and I think I got a good handle on the second season. However, I just want to ask, would you prefer I stay close to cannon, or start branching out? I personally like reading when things stay close to cannon and how the crossover person does thing his/her way, or how things are different not that he/she is there. Which is the style I used in the first season. I kind of want to say close to cannon for the second season as well, but what do you guys think? Do you like it when a crossover just changes the story completely, or do you like riding on the line of cannon with some extra stuff happening with the characters.**

 **However, even though I like reading that kind of crossover, the hardest parts of writing this story are the ones in cannon because I get so BOARD writing them. Its like I know what happens, but I have to write it anyway just so everything makes sense to those who don't know the anime. I really enjoy the original parts I write, like character interactions and fight scenes, or just anything that is different than cannon. So I am debating when I will deviate from the main plot. It may be after this season however, because there are a lot of things I have to set in motion this season.**

 **Anyway, I am still editing the rough draft a bit, but like I said, I think I have a solid grasp on what is going to happen in this second season. I really appreciate your patience. So, here is the start of a new season. Please keep the encouragement up, I am always thankful for your support.**

 **Warning: Spelling is an issue. I know.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

A Heart in the void

Chapter 20

"You know, sometimes it amazes me how manipulative and cruel you can be." Said a hooded figure as he sat at one edge of the table. The room was dark, the only light present was blaring through the windows from the moon. It reflected off the hooded stranger as he sat on the end of the table, a sinister grin on this face. On the opposite end sat another person in a cloak. They wore the same kind of coat, signifying that they knew each other.

"I don't know what you mean." The other figure answered, though you could tell there was a hunt of amusement in his voice.

The person on the other end of the table casually leaned back in his chair as he rested his hand behind his head. "You know full well what I am talking about. That pathetic excuse for a mage couldn't handle the amount of darkness you gave him. You knew that the heartless would betray him in the end." He commented smugly.

"Oh, but you forget it was he that wanted the power in the first place. I warned him of the dangers, but his pride blinded him." The other figure said, his amusement growing.

"And you were so oblivious to that pride." The other person spoke with lazy sarcasm as he waved his hand through the air. He then sat up straight, a grin forming on his face. "Its not like you played on his pride, dangling the power of darkness in front of his face, waiting for him to snatch at it like a starving fish… You truly know how to manipulate others…Xehanort."

The figure at the opposite table gave an amused chuckle as he reached up and slowly removed his hood. Standing there was a man with long silver hair and light brown skin. His deep yellow eyes still sent chills of terror down anyone's spine that happened to see them. He had a confident grin on his face as he looked at the person on the other end of the table.

"You know me all to well, don't you? After all, you are half of who I am already. Xigbar…Or should I say, Braig. "

The other figure also chuckled as he lowered his hood. His one yellow eye staring back at Xehanort, while his other was covered with a patch.

"You know, you caused quite a fuss when you up and disappeared like that."

"Oh? Were you worried about me?" Xehanort asked, a condescending grin on his face.

"As if!" Braig said, crossing his arms in the process. "But you just leaving like that wasn't smart. We are on our final preparations."

"Worry not about that. I am right where I need to be. It seems that there is a reason that I am forced to return to this world once again." Xehanort said as he turned to the window and gazed at the twin moons in the sky.

"Again huh? You have been to this world before?" Braig asked, raising his eyebrow.

"You could say that." Xehanort responded.

"Why are we here then? Is it something important? I could easily get Isa here as well."

"No need. When the preparations are made, then we will call the rest of the organization to come. What is Isa doing anyway?"

Braig scratched the back of his head. "As if I would know. He is probably wondering the worlds for all I care."

"Still difficult to deal with?"

Braig rolled his eye as he folded his arms, shooting Xehanort a pointed look in the process. "So…are you going to tell me what is so important about this backwatered world?"

"All in due time Braig. I will say this though, it seems that this world holds the key that Sora is looking for. The key that may be the downfall of all our plans…and even the organization itself."

Braig blinked a few times before shock covered his face. "What are you saying? How is this world so important? What is the key?"

"The key to return hearts is here, on this world. If Sora somehow figures that out, then he will have a huge advantage in this final battle. We cannot have that. For now, he does not know this, and I intend to keep it that way. But there is one obstacle in our path."

Braig suddenly clenched his fists, knowing exactly whom Xehanort was talking about.

"The Nobody…Roxas."

Xehanort nodded in conformation. "Its strange actually. He is the reason why I know the key to return hearts is here. How else would he even exist if that were not the answer?"

"But he was summoned. Does that mean they key to return hearts is located in the void?" Braig asked. Xehanort didn't say anything, just continued to stare out the window. However, that was all the answer that Braig needed. "But if that's the case, then that power also belongs to Joseph right?"

Xehanort gave a small chuckle. "No. Joseph is not the same as the mage that summoned Roxas. I know a thing or two about the void. It actually branches off into two paths. Light and darkness. It seems that the people of this world didn't know how to comprehend it when it was first discovered, so they simply named both categories as Void."

"What does that mean?"

"The person that summoned Roxas was a mage of the Light. Based on that, the key to return hearts is somewhere located in the light. It makes sense that Roxas was summoned because he was a nobody that specialized in light based attacks."

Braig nodded, showing that he understood what Xehanort was saying. "So because joseph summoned you…a person who seeks darkness…"

"Your are correct. Joseph is a mage of the darkness. Even I was impressed at how much he can wield at once, and his power is still continuing to grow."

Braig became thoughtful for a few moments before understanding shown in his eyes. "So that's why you took such interest in Wards. Not only was he close to the light mage, but also he was also a part of Tristan's government as well. You gave him the power of darkness to kidnap Louise, defeat Tristan, and also to kill Roxas." Braig said, his eyes widening a bit.

"You are correct again Braig, but I did not anticipate Roxas calling upon the lesser Nobodies. I didn't think they would listen to him. But it seems that because he is still a Nobody, they chose to follow him.

"Then wouldn't they listen to us?"

Xehanort shook his head. "We are different from Roxas. While Roxas was the Nobody of Sora, Sora had already been restored. The moment Sora was restored was the moment where Roxas became a completely separate entity. He was no longer Sora's empty shell, rather a completely new…Thing. When we became nobodies, our beings were separated into two different entities that made up that person. When each entity is destroyed, that one person will return."

"I understand that part. That's how you and I returned. So If Roxas is destroyed…"

"Yes, he would have faded away into oblivion. As if he never existed in the first place."

"Huh" Braig hummed as he rubbed his chin. "But all the higher nobodies were destroyed by Sora and Riku. Without them, there is no one else to control them. Roxas will have all the Nobodies under his control.

"Yes." Xehanort responded before he turned to Braig, a sinister smile crossing over his face. "But there is another option. While Wards may have been completely useless in defeating Roxas, he did manage to kill someone who would prove to be of great worth."

Braig blinked a few times, obviously not understanding what the man was getting at.

"Who?"

* * *

Complete emptiness.

That was the only way to describe his current feelings at the moments as he stood by Lagdorian Lake. He didn't even know why he was here, but something in his mind had told him to come. Memories of a person who was very special to him plagued his thoughts, forcing him to stand here and gaze across the beautiful waters. But in his memories, this place would arouse feelings for that special person and the promise they made on these shores.

But now there was nothing. Only emptiness.

And he hated it.

He hated that he could not feel a thing when he recalled her, how the light of the moons reflected off her skin. His memory was so clear that he could see the near angelic glow she seemed to emit every time a smile graced her lips. She was so beautiful. He remembered the feeling of wanting to be with her, to give up everything so they could be together.

But now he felt nothing. The only clue of ever having any feelings for her was a distant memory.

"What happened to me?" The young man whispered as he looked down at his hands. There was nothing that responded besides the soft sound of the water lapping the shore. "Why don't I feel anything?"

"That's what happens when you loose your heart."

Immediately, the young man spun around, his wand drawn. He looked into the tree line, but the darkness of the light casted many shadows. He continued to stare into the trees before a figure slowly emerge. This figure was wearing a black cloak with his hood up. For some reason, that cloak looked really familiar, exactly like the one that …

"Roxas?" the boy whispered.

The figure chuckled as he moved into the light. The boy's eyes narrowed as he took in his features a little more.

"You're not Roxas. Who are you?"

The cloaked person continued to walk forward until the light of the moon revealed his form completely. He chuckled again as he looked at the boy from beneath his hood.

"I was a lot like you at one point. Lost all my feelings for everyone and anyone around me. I felt completely empty, like I was never supposed to exist. Tell me, do you feel this way?"

The boy's eyes widened a bit at he slowly lowered his wand. "Yes. But how do you know that?"

The figure chuckled again. "You feel this way because you have lost your heart. Do you remember what happened?"

The boy scrunched his eyebrows as he tried to remember when he lost his emotions. "It was…when I was preforming the marriage ceremony for Louise and Sir wards. He attacked me. The last thing I remember was waking up in the middle of a burned down church. I couldn't feel anything after that."

The hooded figure nodded as a sinister grin formed on his hooded face. "You were overcome by the power of darkness. It caused you to loose your heart. The heart is the source of your emotions, everything that makes you who you are. Without it, you are an empty shell, destined to fade away into nothingness."

The boy paused for a moment as he looked to the ground. He then turned to gaze across the beautiful lake. "That may be better than the way I am now. I don't want to spend the rest of my life remembering what it was like to have a heart." He said quietly.

"What if I told you that I had a way to give you back your heart?"

Immediately, the boy's eyes widened. He spun around and stared at the tall, cloaked man. "Is that possible? Can I regain my heart?"

The hooded figure nodded, his smile growing by the second. "It is possible. But you have to do something for me first."

"Anything. I will do anything to have my heart back!" the boy replied.

The boy didn't see it, but if it were possible, the grin that stretched across the hooded figures face turned very sinister.

* * *

About a week had passed since the Battle at Tarbes. Henrietta was correct when she said that Albion was a little shaken up by the first battle. So far, there had been no further incidents as Albion had chosen to recover rather than start another battle. Tristan, on the other hand, was completely fine. They didn't loose that many people besides a few Griffin solders in the first fight.

And it was all thanks to Roxas.

However, just as planned, that information was kept on the down low. It turned out that Henrietta was correct when she said some of the higher up nobles would want to use that power to strike at Albion. Poor Henrietta could not count the number of times she was called into a council where they demanded to know who had completely destroyed Albion in the battle.

Henrietta stood firm however, telling them that she had nothing to say in the matter. That didn't stand to well with the council however. They used all manner of leverage to try and get her to talk, but Henrietta withstood all there words. There threats even went as far as striping her of the right to be the queen of the country.

However, Henrietta knew there threats were empty. Even though she may not have minded the delay in her becoming queen, she knew that it was what the people wanted. Not only that, but she was the only one that could be the successor to the throne.

She didn't expect it to happen this soon though.

Back at the academy, everyone that had participated in the battle had plenty of time to rest. Roxas was sleeping extremely well now that he had a bed. Oh how he loved that thing. It made the nights go by so much easier. However, only one person didn't like it that much.

Sylphid.

Why? It was because he spent less nights sleeping outside with her. She missed her little cuddle buddy and she let him know on more than one occasion when he would watch the sunset with her and Tabitha. There was even a few times where she would not let him go until he agreed to sleep outside with her. He reluctantly agreed a couple times just to keep her satisfied. For some odd reason, she became a bit more clingy that usual, which was saying a lot.

Tabitha was her usual self, but she and Sylphid had taken a few days and visit her mother. Roxas had joined her one of those days. He was able to see Alexandra again. She was recovering quite well and also maintaining the secret that she has been cured of her insanity. Roxas returned to the academy the next day via Corridor of darkness while Tabitha stayed a couple extra days. There were no problems until he returned to Louise's room. Turns out that leaving without her permission was not the best idea he ever had. She spent most of the night yelling at him for some reason.

He did notice something a little different about Tabitha since the battle. She seemed to be a little more…comfortable with him than before. Nearly each time they watched the sunset together, she would pull out her book as usual, but she would then lean against him or rest her head against his shoulder as she flipped through the pages. She still didn't say much, but her actions spoke louder.

Kirche hadn't changed much at all, still her same flirty self. She was always the lively one of the group, always trying to make them laugh and trying her hardest to get underneath Louise's skin. She was still a little clingy, but she seemed to back off just a hair.

Siesta was finishing her vacation at Tarbes while helping the rest of the villagers fix their small town. She was given an escort home after she stayed the night at the castle after the battle. Needless to say, she had a lot of explaining to do to the rest of her family, plus Amy and Ellie. Roxas smiled a bit as he remembered Siesta asking his permission to share all the information she had learned with her family, including his story. He agreed because he trusted her family. He wanted to thank them for everything they did for him while he was in Tarbes, but didn't get the chance.

Still, even though she had only been gone for about a week, Roxas missed Siesta.

Louise had calmed down a lot after the battle. She rarely yelled at Roxas anymore, and her whips were a thing of the past. She was still a bit haughty about a lot of things, but that was just who she was, a prideful Noble of Tristan and mage of the Void…Or to clarify, Mage of the light.

Speaking of that, Roxas tried his best to explain the light, but honestly, he didn't know that much about it either. Sure he was a nobody that specialized in light based attacks, but he didn't know how that could apply to Louise. He didn't even know what kind of spells she could cast with her light magic. And since no one had seen a Void mage in over six thousand years, there was no one else that could really help her.

Thinking back though, when Louise finished the battle with her last attack, Roxas had to admit, the light could be destructive when it wanted to be. Not only did it obliterate the heartless, but it also caused a massive amount of damage to Albion's war ship. And Louise's explosions, was that also a byproduct of the light? Or was it as Matilda explained, just Louise overloading her spells with magic.

Roxas didn't know.

On another subject, nothing else had changed much with Louise. However, Roxas did notice something strange about her. She could get angry with him sometimes, but it would usually happen if he would talk with a girl that was not herself. For example, she would get more annoyed and less patient with him if he conversed with Kirche or Tabitha like he usually did. Her ire would increase if physical contact of any kind happened between them. It confused the hell out of the poor nobody. Why in the world would she get so pissed when he talked with his friends?

Roxas shook his head when he remembered asking about it a few times. She always seemed to dodge the question in a very strange way. Her face would flair up in embarrassment and she would deny it with vigor. But even he could tell that she was hiding something, but if she didn't want to say anything, he wouldn't push.

Confusing actions aside, currently Roxas was walking through the academy ground, heading for the kitchen again as per his usual routine. The only difference was a white cat-like creatures lying on the top of his head.

"What are they serving today, Roxas?" Suki asked with a slightly depressed tone in her voice. Suki was getting along great with the rest of the group. They quickly accepted her…some more than others. Suki still had nightmares when she met Kirche for the second time. The second Kirche saw her; she squealed and pulled the poor Moogle into a smothering hug while gushing about how cute she was. Suki nearly suffocated to death until Roxas managed to pry her out of Kirche's grasp. Since then, Suki had been wary of Kirche.

The others were less aggressive in their approach, causing Suki to breath a sigh of relief.

"Don't have a clue, but if Marteau is cooking, you know it will be good." Roxas responded as he reached up and scratched the top of her head. He chuckled as he felt the Moogle purr. "You ok? You sound a little depressed."

Suki slumped on top of his head again; grateful Roxas was scratching the top of her head. It seemed to lift her spirits a bit.

"I failed again. I was sure I had the right formula, accounting for the foreign ingredients of this world. But…"

"So the tremor we all felt this morning, that was…"

Roxas could nearly feel the storm cloud form over Suki's head as she slumped again. "Yeah, that was me."

Giving a small sigh, he continued to scratch the top of her head. "Was the damage that bad this time?"

"No!" Suki quickly said, before she became a bit quiet. She was silent for a few seconds before she groaned. "Just the side of the building was complexly blown away, but Colbert was able to fix it quit easily." She justified.

Roxas gave a quiet laugh. "Anybody hurt?"

"Well…Montmorency was watching again. She wasn't hurt, per se, but she is still in her room trying to fix her hair."

Roxas shook his head as he chuckled. "How is she doing since your last little…experiment?"

Suki paled a bit and cringed at the memory. "I haven't let her touch any of the ingredients since then. We almost died in that experiment!"

"You weren't the only ones. It took them nearly a day to rebuild that side of the academy after that explosion."

Suki growled as she bopped him on this head with her nubby paw. "Quiet. Besides, it wasn't fault. I told Montmorency to use the Mythril stone, but she grabbed the blaze shard instead. The chemical reaction was…devastating." Suki shivered a bit.

"That explosion could have given Louise a run for her money?" Roxas laughed.

"Yes…Hey!" Suki exclaimed as she started beating on his head like a drum.

Roxas laughed as he continued to walk to the kitchen, not paying that much attention to the sulking Moogle. "Well, at least I introduced you to Montmorency. She knows a lot about the ingredients for potions in this world."

Suki stopped beating on his head as she huffed. "I guess. She does know her ingredients for this world, but if she wants to be at the level of the Moogles, she has a lot to learn. I just wish she would give me some space. She is always watching me do my work. It's stressful because I am trying to combine the ingredients I am use to with the ones on this planet to make new items. Its difficult to concentrate with her hovering over my shoulder."

"Can you blame her? Potion making is one of her passions. And you do things that people have never seen before on this planet."

"And every other planet in the universe. No one can do things the way we do them." Suki said proudly.

"That includes blowing up the side of a building right?"

"Right...Hey!" Suki exclaimed as she started beating on his head again.

Quickly, Roxas reached up and scratched the top of her head again, causing the Moogle to melt into a puddle. "Don't let it get you down. One day, you are going to make something amazing."

"Dang Straight!" Suki said. "And it will be sooner than later. I am close to something big! Something that will make Elixirs look like regular potions."

That caused Roxas to raise his eyebrows a bit. Elixirs were the Moogles signature item, one of there most powerful potions.

"I bet you are." Roxas replied as he scratched the top of her head again.

They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the kitchens. Upon entering, the aroma a delicious food immediately penetrated their noses. It seemed that Marteau had done it again, just like every other day. Curiously, Roxas looked around for Siesta, but didn't see her anywhere. It seemed that she was still not back from her vacation. He couldn't really blame her either. The battle had destroyed a lot in Tarbes and they needed all the help they could get in rebuilding the small town.

A hearty slap on the back shook him from his thoughts.

"Our key! Guess what?"

Roxas stumbled forward a bit, Suki nearly falling off of his head as he tried to regain his composure. He groaned as he stood up straight and faced the head chef.

"Do you really have to slap me so hard?" Roxas asked as he rolled his shoulder. He felt Suki growling at the chef as well.

Marteau ignore them both as he slung his arm around Roxas's shoulder. "I have been working on that little suggestion you gave me the other day. I think I almost got it."

Roxas's eyes shot open as he looked over at the grinning chef. His heart began to beat in his chest.

"R-Really!?" Roxas asked in disbelief. He had only mentioned it in passing conversation. He could not believe that Marteau had actually giving it a shot at making.

Marteau nodded. "It took me a while figure out how to make this work, but based on the way you described it, it didn't seem that difficult." He said as he walked to the cooler room. It was amazing that you only needed to cast a cooling spell on a room and suddenly you have a freezer. Marteau walked through the door and grabbed something before he walked back out. Upon walking out, Roxas's eyes widened again as he saw what was in Marteau's hand.

An ice-cream bar.

"Even though I figured out how to make it, I don't really understand the flavor you described. Salty then sweet? That is an interesting combination." Marteau replied as he held out the ice cream for Roxas.

Shakily, Roxas took the bar in his hand and looked it over. The light blue color and overall shape looked exactly the same as the one he would always eat with his friend back on twilight tower. Slowly, he brought the ice cream to his mouth and took a bite.

…

"ugh!" Roxas groaned as he forcefully swallowed the ice cream. The overbearing amount of salt Marteau used was apparent. "You complete nailed the texture, but you added way to much salt. Try more sugar to balance the load."

Marteau laughed as he held out a glass of water for Roxas, who immediately snatched it and down the whole thing. "That's what my assistant chef said. Just wanted to run it by you first though."

Roxas cleared his throat out; making sure the rest of the salty ice cream was gone before he glanced at the chef. "Still, to be able to get that close with just a simple explanation, you are incredible Marteau."

Marteau thumped his chest in pride. "Who do you think your talking to? I am the best chef in all of Tristan. Of course I will be able to figure it out. Soon we will have ourselves a new and delicious desert."

Roxas just laughed as he sat down at the table. Suki hopped off his head before she landed on the table next to him so they could both enjoy breakfast with the rest of the staff.

It didn't take long to finish the meal. Satisfied, Roxas was about to exit the kitchen with Suki sitting on his shoulder, but Marteau blocked his route.

"The usual?" The chef asked.

"Yes." Roxas responded.

Marteau smiled as he handed over a regular loaf of bread. "This has turned into a regular routine hasn't it?" He asked as Roxas took the loaf from him. "But still, it is amusing to watch each time."

"I guess. It has become her bad habit." Roxas responded as he walked past the chef and exited the kitchen. He only took a few steps before he felt a small tremor in the ground. As the tremor came closer, Roxas gave a sigh. He knew what this meant. Thinking fast, he quickly held out a loaf of bread in his hand.

The tremor suddenly halted within a few feet of him and Suki. Glancing over, Roxas gave a deadpanned expression as he saw the familiar Blue dragon sitting there, staring at the bread with uncontrollable desire.

"Sylphid, do you really have to charge me over every morning if I don't get you something?" he asked as he tossed the loaf into the air. Sylphid quickly snatched it before she chomped it down. She then licked her snout before she cooing contently. Marching forward, she gently rubbed the side of her head against his chest, encouraging him to give her a good scratch.

Roxas gave a small chuckle as he did just that. The dragon melted into a puddle, purring contently.

"It seems she is at it again tabby."

Roxas turned away from the dragon to notice a couple familiar figures walking towards them.

"Good morning Kirche, Tabitha." Roxas said.

"Eep!"

Roxas noticed a sudden shift on his shoulder. Right when she heard Kirche's name, Suki migrated from his shoulder to his back, peering over his shoulder with fear in her eyes.

"Good morning darling." Kirche said as she glanced over at Suki. "Awe! Are you still afraid of little ol' me? I promise I will be gentle this time."

"Stay away!" Suki squeaked.

"Oh well" Kirche responded with a shrug. "We were just headed to Tristania for Queen Henrietta's parade. Would you care to join us?"

"Usually I would, but I think I will wait for Louise. Last time I left without her, she didn't stop yelling at me until the next morning."

Suki had perched herself back on Roxas's shoulder, though still wary of Kirche. "I still don't know why she was so mad. All you did was take one day to visit Gallia to see how Tabitha's mother was doing."

"I am just as confused as you." Roxas said. "She kept rambling on and on about…something to do with taking advantage of Tabitha…or something like that."

Kirche and Tabitha stared at Roxas for the longest time. Kirche had to quickly cover her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing. She glanced over at Tabitha, who had a small blush dusting her cheeks.

"It seems that Louise forgets that you are less that three years old when she is angry." Kirche said before she noticed the confused look on Roxas's face. "Don't worry about it Roxas. You will eventually understand what she is talking about."

"I highly doubt that."

"Well anyway, we have to be on our way. Hopefully we will see you there." Kirche said as she sauntered over to him before wrapping an arm over his shoulder, patting Suki's head in the process. The Moogle flinched at first, but then eventually melted into the soft touch.

"See, I can be nice when I want to." She said before she glanced over at Tabitha, a grin on her face.

Tabitha's face was stoic as usual, but an ever so slight twitch in her eyebrow gave away that she was annoyed.

Giving a victorious smirk, Kirche was about to take a step further before she noticed someone else approaching…someone with pink hair.

"ROXAS!"

Roxas and Suki nearly jumped as the voice shouted out to them. Roxas turned to see Louise storming across the academy ground, straight in their direction. For some reason, she looked upset about something…Then again, when was she not upset about something?

"Louise, really? We are standing right here. No reason to yell." Kirche taunted.

"Would you stop hanging on my familiar, you cow!" Louise said as she placed her hands on her hips.

"And why would I do that? Obviously Roxas likes it." Kirche said a she faced the nobody.

Roxas felt the blood slowly to his face as he felt Kirche's arm further construct around his neck, slowly pulling him closer to her chest. He still didn't know why, but his body still reacted strongly to certain physical contact with most of his friends.

"Enough." Tabitha said as she walked up to Roxas and Kirche. "We are going to be late."

"Oh, is tabby trying to stake her claim?" Kirche asked, causing Tabitha's eye to twitch again. She started to walk away with Sylphid walking behind her.

"Hey Tabitha! I was just kidding around." Kirche said as she released Roxas and began to chaise after the blue-haired girl. She looked over her shoulder at Louise and Roxas. "See you there Zero, and Darling." She finished as she blew them a kiss.

Roxas just stood there, confused like usual. He glanced over at Louise, who was doing her best impression of a tomato. "Stake her claim? What is that supposed to mean?" Roxas asked.

Louise whirled around, glaring at him. "Don't let Kirche do that! She only does that to get on my nerves."

"Let her do what? She is always like that." Roxas retorted.

"Because you let her get away with it. She is always hanging on you. Don't let her."

"Why?"

"Because I said so"

"Not good enough." Roxas responded as he turned around and began to walk away.

"Yes it is! I am your master. You should only be looking at me!"

Roxas paused in mid-step before he turned to look at her. "What do you mean?

Realizing what she just said, Louise did her best impression of a fish. How was she supposed to explain this? It was difficult dealing with Roxas sometimes because he didn't see the meaning of certain fraises like that. Because of that, if you wanted him to understand something, you had to tell him flat out, or he would not get it.

Louise's face turned red again, though not from anger. Most boys would understand the hint she was trying to give, but not Roxas.

Still.

She couldn't just say it out loud.

"Just don't! Only look at me."

"Um." Roxas started as he frowned. "No. They are my friends too. How am I supposed to talk to them without looking at them? Besides, why would I only look at you?"

Louise really wanted to pull her hair out. Of course he took it literally. She knew he wouldn't get it, but that does not mean she was going to spell it out for him. She was about to say something else before she noticed Roxas was walking away again.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To the Parade." Roxas responded. "Henrietta will be there soon, you don't want to miss it do you?"

"Of course not!" Louise responded as she jogged up to him.

* * *

There wasn't much conversation between Roxas and Louise as they traveled to Tristania for the parade. Both of them had different things they were thinking about. Louise was still a bit frustrated with Roxas and his oblivious nature. He was so clueless about everything, but then again, it wasn't really fair to be mad at him for those reasons.

As they rode in the carriage, Louise glanced over at him. He was currently staring out the window, watching the trees as they slowly passed them by. After she had finally learned about him, she understood a bit more about why he acted the way he did…and why he didn't understand certain things.

"So Louise." Roxas said suddenly as he looked over at her.

Louise gave a small squeak as she turned her attention away from him. She cleared her throat in order to look a bit more dignified.

"What is it?"

"Henrietta is now officially the queen of this entire country, right?"

"Of course! There is no one better than Princess Henrietta to take the throne."

"Hmm" Roxas hummed as he rested his chin in his palm. "Still…that is quite the burden to put on someone so young."

"You're one to talk. You were chosen by a weapon that is supposed to protect entire worlds." Louise shot back, a small grin on her face.

"Touché"

"Still, you do bring up a point. When Henrietta's father died, it was too much for the queen to handle. She was not fit to rule the country anymore. So the high counsel voted for Henrietta to be the next queen."

"Is anyone going to help her?" Roxas asked

"We will!" Louise responded with pride in her tone. However, her bravado only lasted a few seconds before her countenance dropped a bit. "Now that she is queen, there are very few people she can trust. Assassins will be sent from other countries to try and eliminate her, so she has to be very careful. She may never be able to make new friends again."

"That is…really sad. Did Henrietta want this? Did she want to be queen?"

Louise paused as she pondered that question. Henrietta always was a free spirit, but the confines of the royal family had always been there to clip her wings. Now that she has been made queen, it was like putting the padlock on her own birdcage.

"To be honest, I don't know. But I do know that she will need me more than ever. I have to be there for her."

Roxas glanced over at the petite girl sitting next to him. She had a somewhat downcast gaze on her face, but there was determination in her eyes. She really wanted to help her new queen.

And so did he.

* * *

The streets of Tristania were fill with cheering people. It nearly made it impossible to navigate through, but eventually Roxas and Louise found a place where they could get a good look at the new queen. It seemed that they had arrived just on time because it was only a moment later until they saw the carriages marching through the center of the street. They were able to make out Agnes and the rest of the musketeer knights as they cautiously guarded the carriage on each side.

Standing on the front was there new queen. She was elegantly waving to everyone in the crowed with a smile on her face. People on all sides were cheering for her and giving their congratulations.

Louise was doing the same thing, trying to get Henrietta's attention by yelling and waving frantically. Roxas however hand a frown on his face as he saw her smile. To anyone else, it would seem like she was completely happy with the new position she was called to. However, for someone like Roxas, who had spent most of this life surrounded by people who faked a smile, he could tell a mile away that something was wrong. True, there was a smile on her face, but even he could tell how fake it was. However it was her eyes that told the whole story. She was under an immense amount of pressure, having to take the throne and lead the country all on her own.

It nearly made Roxas cringe when he thought about it. Having everyone in the entire country look up to you and expect you to make the correct choices when it came to nearly impossible decisions, that was something Roxas didn't know if he could handle.

Sure he had the responsibilities of the keyblade, but there existence was kept pretty much a secret. No one really looked up to them except for the few that knew about them. And also, Keyblade masters could relay on other keyblade masters for support.

Henrietta had no one though. She had millions of people that she was accountable for and no one to help share the load. All those worries and stresses were reflected in her eyes even though her face tried to hide it with a forced smile.

"I really feel sorry for her." Roxas commented.

Louise looked up at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you see it Louise? The way her…"

Roxas was suddenly interrupted when he felt two arms constrict round his neck and a weight on his back.

"I was hoping I would find you here, Roxas." Said a familiar void over his shoulder.

Roxas blinked a few times as he glance to his right. Seen a familiar mop of hair, a smile broke across his face.

"Siesta!"

Siesta beamed as she rested her chin on his shoulder, glancing over at Roxas in the process.

"Truthfully, I was surprised I found you. There is a large crowd here today."

Roxas chuckled as he glanced at her again. "How have you been? How is Tarbes doing?"

"It's recovering quite nicely. Most of the building are repaired and the injured are being taken care of." She said, a large smile on her face. "I think the most difficult part was trying to explain it all to my family. Though I only told my mother and father about it. You can't imagine the kinds of questions they asked me."

"Oh I can imagine." Roxas countered. "Are they here?"

"Mom and dad stayed in Tarbes to get some work done. But Amy, Ellie, and Jessica are around here somewhere."

"Awesome."

"Roxas." Louise growled, her eye twitching when she saw Siesta pressing her body against his back.

"What?"

"…Its nothing." Louise said, there she was grinding her teeth together. She knew that Siesta and Roxas were close and that Siesta had not seen Roxas in a little while. It was only natural they would share a quick hug.

…  
Ok, Maybe a long hug. It didn't bother her one bit. Nope.

"There they are! You found them Siesta."

Roxas soon found another pair of arms circle around his neck, only this time the weight was on his front. He found himself staring at a pair of blue eyes and a playful grin.

"Jessica." Roxas said, a bit startled by the sudden contact. He felt his face grow a bit warmer at the lack of proximity.

"In the flesh." She said. "It's been a little while. We never really got to properly thank you for saving not only our lives, but Tarbes as well." She said as her grin widened a bit. She started to bring her face dangerously close to his.

"Um…" Roxas fumbled, his face growing hotter by the second. "D-Don't worry about it."

"That won't do though. A hero deserves a reward." She whispered before she found a hand on her face, forcefully pushing her back.

"I think that is enough teasing Jessica." Siesta said, an annoyed glare on her face.

Roxas gave a small sigh of relief as he felt his face cool down a bit.

Louise was grinding her teeth together as she watched those two girls hanging on Roxas. Why was he just letting them do that? Why wasn't he pushing them off?

Taking a couple breaths to calm herself, Louise tried turning her thoughts in a different direction. They are just happy to see him. They are just grateful he saved their lives. They haven't seen him for a while so this in natural…to have two beautiful women hugging you from each side…yeah totally natural.

"Roxas!"

Roxas felt even more weigh land on him, this time he completely lost his balance. He toppled over with four other bodies before they all landed on the ground in a heap of limbs.

Shaking his head, Roxas noticed the two other people.

"Ellie and Amy. Would you mind being a bit more gentle next time?" Roxas asked.

"Its your own fault!" Ellie said with a pout. She reached up and pinched his cheeks. "You didn't even stop by after the battle. I haven't seen you for a while."

"It's only been a few days Ellie." Roxas said as he shook his head, causing her to release his face.

"That's no excuse Mr." Amy said as grinned at him. "You have people that care for you in Tarbes. Shouldn't you at least let us know your ok?"

"Siesta should have told you." Roxas countered.

"Don't pin this on me." Siesta said as she slapped his shoulder playfully.

"Yeah, its not the same as letting us know yourself." Jessica countered.

Roxas stared at them for a few seconds before he gave them a soft smile. "I guess your right."

Louise was staring down at the pile of people for the longest time. Her fingernails were digging into the palm of her hand while her teeth were grinding down into nubs. Both her eyebrows were twitching at the rather intimate position they were all in.

…totally…normal… she tried reminding herself again, but she was quickly loosing her composure.

"Well this looks like fun."

Roxas looked up to see Kirche and Tabitha standing there. Kirche had a playful grin on her face as she saw the dog pile of people. Tabitha's face was stoic as usual, she her eyebrow was also twitching slightly.

"Ah, Mistress Kirche! Thanks for pointing us in the right direction. We really appreciate it." Siesta said with a smile.

"Not at all dear." Kirche said as she looked over at Louise. She saw that the girl was about to explode. She grinned, thinking that she could not pass this opportunity pass. Just one last push would do the trick. "This looks like fun." She said, gesturing to the dog pile "You mind if I join you?"

"Huh?" Roxas said, his eyebrows raised.

If you were listening close enough, you would have heard something snap.

"ROXAS!" Louise suddenly screeched as she drew her wand. It started to glow brightly before arcs of power started to cascade down the wand.

Roxas's eyes widened as he quickly made his move.

There was a massive explosion that shook the entire town as Louise unleashed her spell. People began running away from the area frantically, screaming as they tried to get away from the source of the explosion.

Louise was breathing like a wild bull as she looked to the place where she had cast her spell. There was a decent sized crater, but no Roxas. Looking up, she saw him a few feet away, completely uninjured along with Jessica, Amy, Siesta, and Ellie. The four girls were gawking at her in fear.

Roxas however, was furious. "Louise, what the Hell!"

"Shut up you DOG! You seem to like attention so much. See how you like this!" she exclaimed as she pointed her wand at him.

She was stopped suddenly though as the cold point of a sword rested against her neck. "That is enough Louise."

Louise froze in fear as she slowly turned her head, looking over her shoulder. She came eye to eye with the glaring face of the leader of the musketeer knights. Agnes did not look happy.

"Come with me right now! Both of you." She snapped at Louise and Roxas.

"Roxas" Ellie said.

Roxas smiled down at her as he ruffled her hair. "Don't worry Ellie, everything will be find." He said before he turned to Siesta. "I guess I will be seeing you later?"

Siesta nodded. "My vacation time ends in a couple days. I will see you back at the academy. Lets just hope we wont blow up next time."

"I hope so too."

* * *

Roxas found himself standing in an abandoned room after he was lead there by Michelle. Louise was taken to another room to be harshly reprimanded by Agnes. Roxas almost felt sorry for her because he could nearly hear Agnes yelling at her through the thick stone walls.

"I swear she will be the death of me." Roxas said as he leaned against the wall. Why did she do that anyway? He cold not think of a single reason why she would loose her temper like that…Then again, she always did seem to get more angry at him when he talked with his friends. Did that have something to do with it? And if it did, what was the reason?

The loud creaking of the door interrupted his thought process. He glanced up to notice Agnes standing there. She was quickly followed by the new queen of Tristan.

"Oh, hey Henrietta." Roxas said as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Henrietta stared at him for a few seconds before she heaved a sigh of relief, glad he didn't think any different of her just because she was made a queen of the country. She was still getting use to people bowing before her as she passed by them. It was refreshing to see someone's eyes for a change. It was like a blessing in disguise that Roxas had no idea how to deal with royalty.

"Its good to see you Roxas. I am glad you came."

Glancing over at Agnes, he gave a small shrug. "Didn't have much of a choice. Agnes dragged both me and Louise here."

Henrietta giggled a bit as she noticed the slightly sour look on Agnes's face. "Well, causing a panic like that may not have been the best idea."

"Don't look at me. Louise just lost her temper for some reason."

"Please continue to be patient with her. However, it did give me the opportunity I needed." She said, as she approached the nobody. "I wanted the chance to talk to you both privately, but with everything that is happening, it's been a bit difficult."

"You wanted to talk to us?"

Henrietta nodded slowly before she gave a sigh. She walked over to the wall and slowly sat down on the floor, completely disregarding the fact she was wearing very expensive clothing. She looked up at him before she patted the spot next to her, inviting him to sit down as well. Roxas paused for a moments before he took her up on her invitation.

"As you already know, I am the queen of Tristan now. And as such, there are very few people I can trust."

"Yeah, Louise told me as much."

"Besides you and Louise, the only people I can really trust are the royal musketeers. Its difficult to have so little people to rely on when we are in the middle of a war."

Roxas nodded, but he didn't say anything, just listened to what she was saying.

"Which is why I will need the assistance of you both. You two were the only reason we were able to win our first battle. If Albion had taken Tarbes, they would have had a serious advantage in this war." She continued as she looked over at him. "I know that you have another war you have to focus on, one that is on a much grander scale than what we are dealing with, but we need you. Will you help us?"

Roxas didn't even need to think about how he would answer this question. "Henrietta, this is my home. I will do anything to protect it. Just let me know what you need."

Henrietta beamed at him before she slowly closed her eyes and rested her head on the cold stone wall. "Louise really doesn't know how lucky she is to have you by her side." Henrietta commented quietly.

Roxas chuckled a bit. "I can't argue with you there. Lately, she would randomly get angry with me. I really wish I could understand why."

Henrietta giggled as she glanced over at him. She had a really good idea why Louise was getting less patient with Roxas based on the little conversation she had with her before coming here. There was only one word to describe it.

Jealousy.

Because of her pride, Louise would never admit it, but it was easy for the queen to see it. Louise may have developed a thing for Roxas. Henrietta couldn't really blamer her either. Roxas was handsome, devoted, determined, saved her on more than one occasions, and never looked down on her because of her inability to use magic. It was natural to get jealous and angry when seeing him interact with so many other girls.

"That is something you will learn eventually Roxas. Its not really my place to say." Henrietta said as she pushed herself to her feet. She turned around and looked at the nobody, a soft smile on her face. "But back to the reason I need to talk to you. There will be a few missions here and they're that I will need you and Louise to personally do. But for now, just wait at the academy until I need you."

"Got it." Roxas replied as he too stood from the ground.

Henrietta gave a small smile again. "I am so very lucky to have both you and Louise at my side. It really does mean a lot."

* * *

On the ride back to the academy, not much was said between Roxas and Louise. Roxas was staring out the window while Louise had a book open in her lap, slowly flipping through the pages. Glancing over at her, Roxas noticed something peculiar about the book. The pages were completely blank.

That peaked his curiosity.

"What is that?" Roxas asked.

Louse blinked a few times as she looked over at him. She then looked back at the book. "Queen Henrietta gave this to me when we talked. Apparently it's the Prayer book of Brimir. It has been in the Tristan lineage for over 6000 years."

"Ok…Why is it blank." Roxas asked.

"I am wondering that too. The Queen said that this was Brimir's void spell book. Every spell he created by the void was recorded in this book…but its empty."

"I can see that." Roxas said as he stared curiously at the blank pages. Suddenly, he felt an extremely faint tug on his keyblade. The same kind of tug he felt when he unlocked Louise's void magic. Narrowing his eyes, he waited for the tug again, but it didn't happen. Eventually, he just assumed it was his imagination.

It was later in the evening that Roxas and Louise found themselves back at the academy. Agnes had given Louise another firm warning about causing unnecessary panic for very minuscule reasons. Needless to say, Louise had a new found fear of the leader of the Royal Musketeers.

"Oh, and one more thing." Agnes said as she climbed onto the front of the carriage after dropping Roxas and Louise off. She turned to the two of them and gave them a very rare smile. "Thank you for being there for the new queen. She has been extremely stressed lately and doesn't have many people she can rely on. Just by being there for her, you don't know how helpful it is."

For a moment, Louise seemed to forget any fear she had in Agnes. She gave her a happy smile. "Thank you Agnes."

Agnes nodded to them both as she gave the rains of the carriage a good whip, causing the horses to carry her into the distance.

Roxas and Louise watched her disappear.

"Well, today was sure eventful." Roxas said as he gave a small yawn. He looked up into the sky, only to notice that the sun was past set. Pity too because he didn't get to watch the sunset like he usually did with Tabitha and Sylphid.

"You can say that again." Louise responded as she glanced over at her familiar. "I'm glad the queen trusts us."

"Yeah."

Truthfully, having the queen's trust actually meant more to Louise than anyone could see. There was someone that needed her strength, someone that could rely on her when the times grew difficult. After being told she was a failure most of her life, she was not about to let down one of the few people that trusted and needed her.

BOOM

Roxas and Louise jumped when a sudden explosion caught their attention. Immediately, Roxas looked accusingly at Louise. She responded by lightly punching his arm, glaring at him.

"I'm right here! It wasn't me." Louise exclaimed as she and Roxas made there way in the direction of the explosion. They rounded a corner of the grounds before they found the culprit.

What they found was a rather amusing sight. Montmorency was on her knees, bowing to Suki. Suki was flailing her little nubs and shouting profanities at the top of her lungs. Both were covered in soot and ash. The building behind them was nearly demolished. Professor Colbert was there as well, but he was busy casting a spell, trying to fix the destroyed building.

"I'm sorry! I was just curious." Montmorency cried as she looked up at the Moogle.

"Curious? CURIOUS!? I told you not to touch anything!" Suki shouted as she flew forward and started harmlessly beating on Montmorency's head. Montmorency responded by clasping her hands on her head, trying to prevent the Moogle from hitting her.

"But-But I have never seen anything like that before."

"Of course you haven't! That was a Mythril Crystal! If used correctly, it can created some of the best potions in the universe, but if used incorrectly…" Suki shouted as she pointed her paw at the building. "We should be grateful it didn't level then entire academy. Whose fault would that have been huh? What would be your excuse? You were curious?"

"Um…are we interrupting something?" Roxas asked as he glanced at the duo.

Suki and Montmorency looked over at them. Montmorency had anime tears cascading down her eyes while Suki just gave a defeated sigh.

"Hopefully your day has been better than ours." Suki replied.

"Debatable." Roxas and Louise said simultaneously.

* * *

There was a loud explosion that echoed over the battlefield. Bloody bodies were lying about, their cold hand still clutching the handle of there keyblades. The barren waste lands was filled with the war cries of the remaining keyblade masters as they fought mercilessly against each other, wanting what remained of the light of kingdom hearts.

"Why did this happen." An individual spoke as he cradled another person in his arms. "There was enough light for everyone. Why did we have to be so selfish? Why did darkness have to be bourn?"

The person in his arms gave a bitter laugh, coughing up a bit of blood in the process. "Darkness was always there Kimasaru. They b-balance each other. One c-cannot survive without the other. That is why your keyblade as well as mine were meant to wield the darkness."

"Then-" Kimasaru started before another explosion interrupted him. Bits of rock and dust cascaded up into the air, along with the bodies of other keyblade masters. Kimasaru felt bits of pebbles collide with his back, but he paid them no attention. "Then why were we chosen? Why did everyone around us have the power of light, while darkness was our burden?" Kimasaru finished, tears running down his cheeks.

"W-we don't choose what keyblade we get Kimasaru. It is the Keyblade that chooses the master, remember?"

Kimasaru looked down at the man, tears of frustration still running down his dirty face. "They hated us, Lasuska. They feared what we would become, and casted us aside."

Blood was leaking out of Lasuska's mouth as he smiled up at Kimasaru. "And yet, it was wielders of the light that caused this war. They allowed darkness to penetrate Kingdom hearts because of there own greed." Lasuska finished as he coughed up more blood. "Its quite ironic isn't it?"

"Lasuska." Kimasaru whispered as another devastating explosion ripped through the few raining keyblade masters. Bodies wend flying through the air before they crashed mercilessly to the ground.

"Kimasaru, you must survive. You cannot let this war be the end of you." Lasuska said, his vision starting to fade.

"What are you saying? I can't leave you here." Kimasaru said through gritted teeth.

"C'mon Kimasaru. We both know that I am not going to live through this." Lasuska said as he clenched his keyblade in his hand. With the last of his strength, he held it out to Kimasaru. "I pass ownership of the Eye of Darkness to you, Kimasaru. Together with the Forgotten Light, The darkness will never have power over you, rather you will Rule the darkness."

"Lasuska, don't talk like that. You are all I have left." Kimasaru said, ignoring the raised keyblade.

"Kimasaru, take my keyblade and live. The-The worlds still need keyblade masters. Live on…f-for both of us." Lasuska said. The weight of his own keyblade was starting to be too much fro him. He nearly lost his strength before Kimasaru grasped the handle in his other hand.

"Lasuska." Kimasaru whispered, his vision blurry from his own tears.

Lasuska felt the weight of his keyblade leave him. Knowing what this meant, he gave one last satisfied smile before his vision faded completely.

Kimasaru felt Lasuska's body go limp in his grasp. He didn't even need to wonder what happened. He was dead.

"Why did it have to be you, Lasuska? You always did everything you could to protect me. I was the weak one." Kimasaru said as he gently laid the dead keyblade masters body on the ground. "When I was chosen by the Forgotten light, everyone turned there backs on me, but you didn't. You looked after me, not just because I was your family.

Kimasaru ignored the massive explosion that occurred behind him, killing yet another mass of keyblade wielders as he stared down at the man.

"For your sake Lasuska, my older brother, I will live on." Kimasaru growled through clenched teeth as he whirled around. He summoned the forgotten light in his right hand and the Eye of Darkness in the other. He gave a war cry as she charged towards the remaining keyblade wilders. He was just about to rush into the battlefield before there was a flash of light. It blinded Kimasaru for a brief moment before he found himself actually charging towards an oval of green light. He tried halting himself, but his momentum was already moving forward. He collided with the portal and it completely sucked him in before disappearing in another flash of light.

* * *

Roxas nearly jumped from his bed, his heart pounding in his chest as the vivid dream ended. Cold sweat was rolling down his face and his breathing was sharp and ragged.

"Ouch! Roxas, what was that for!?"

Roxas looked to his side to noticed Suki sitting on the floor while rubbing the back of her head. Obviously she was accidently tossed to the ground after he awoke. Meaning she had tried sleeping on his chest again.

"Sorry about that Suki. It was just a bad drea…"

BAM BAM

Suki and Roxas jumped as they suddenly turned towards the door.

"What's going on?" Louise asked groggily as she slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Who is banging on the door at this hour?"

"Roxas! Louise! Open the door. Its urgent!" a muffled voice shouted through the door.

Roxas's eyes widened immediately as he rushed over to the door and swung it open. Standing there, breathing hard and a look of compete panic on her face, was Agnes.

"What's going on Agnes? Is everything ok?"

"No, Its terrible! The Princess has been kidnaped!"

With those words, Roxas and Louise felt there hearts nearly stop beating.

 **Authors note: Well, first chapter of the second season down. I have set a few things in motion. A few of you may be wondering, "What's with the new vision?" Well, that will be explained in future chapters. There is a backstory and I promise and it will tie in, I will say this though, Xehanort's keyblade is not the only one that's ancient in this story. And before you complain, there is a reason why Kida didn't have the visions Roxas will have in the future.**

 **If you didn't know, I have mentioned Kimasaru only once in my story before this moment. If you know what I am talking about, then you should have an idea of what these new visions are going to be about. To pronounce Lasuska's name (La - su- s -ka) Just like how it is spelled.**

 **Anyway, What do you guys think? How is the start of this new arc? Please let me know. I will try and make weekly to biweekly updates now that I am back. Thank you all for your patience and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.**

 **Until then!**


	21. Chapter 21: Hard choices

**Authors Note: Another chapter for you all. Thanks for waiting. I got a lot of mixed answers to my last question, but the most common was to sorta stick to cannon but add my own little arcs and adventures, similarly to what I did with the first season. I think that would be a good idea as well for this season, but next season, things will start branching out. The other most common answer was "Its your choice." Ha ha, I know that, but I wanted to ask still because I am still a relatively new author on this sight. Anyway, I give a warning that some confusing things may happen in this chapter and I had to stretch a bit of logic here and there to make it work. But that's not really new in this story. To make some things work, I have to stretch some of the KH and ZNT lore, which I apologize for, but it's really difficult to make things work when I keep everything exactly the same.**

 **I got a suggestion for a story OVA where they all go to the beach. Now I know that in anime, there is usually a mandatory beach episode and ZNT is no different. Now I would do this, but I only have one concern. In the anime, Saito is recruited by the headmaster when he found a box of swimsuits to try and get the female cast to ware them. The regular ZNT swimsuits leave much to be desired, so I don't have a clue how to incorporate that. I have a few ideas of what the OVA could entail after this little situation is fixed, but if you have any ideas, please let me know. If I do this, it will just be like a side thing, not really cannon.**

 **Last question. I know that when Prince wales died in the anime, he gave the wind ruby to Louise, who gave it to Henrietta. How in the world did Prince Wales get it back when he convinced Henrietta to go with him? I could not find it for the life of me, so if anyone has the answer, I will make a note and change it in my story after. Right now it feels like a little plot hole though.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

 **Warning: It's a fanfiction, not a published work, so spelling and grammar error will be present. But I will try my best to find as many as I can.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 21

Henrietta was standing near the glass doors that lead to the balcony, gazing out into the night sky with a thoughtful expression on her face. The conversation she had with Roxas and Louise had gone very well. If she were being honest with herself, she would say that those two and Agnes were the only reason she was able to stay sane. The whole process of her becoming queen had taken a toll on her, both physically and mentally. She felt a little better after her talk with Roxas and Louise, knowing that they would be there when she needed them. It made the immense burden she carried just a bit easier to bear.

However, it did not change one little fact.

She was completely on her own when it came to running the country. With her mother being too distraught about the death of her husband, she was in no position to help Henrietta much. In fact, her mother was the one that completely dumped the title of Queen on her, even though Henrietta was still just a young woman.

Henrietta took a deep breath as she turned away from the window and walked over to her bed. Sitting on the edge of it, she rested her hands in her lap. She was to stressed at the moment to even think about sleep. How was she supposed to run an entire country by herself? She was only 17 years old and she had the responsibilities of the kingdom thrown on her without anyone there to help.

Noticing a cold wetness on her hands, Henrietta glanced down at them. She saw a few drops of water on her knuckles. Reaching up, she felt that the water was actually her own tears as they started to uncontrollably stream down her face.

Quickly, she reached up and tried to wipe them away. She could not afford to cry anymore. She needed to be strong for her country. They were looking up to her now and she couldn't afford to show any weakness.

Not anymore.

However, the more she tired to wipe them away, they more they started to leak from her eyes. They just wouldn't stop. Finally, she stopped trying to hold back the tears. They began to feely fall from here eyes as she sat on the edge of her bed, the weight of her own responsibilities crushing her beneath their immense weight.

"Freedom must be nice." She murmured to herself as she thought about Louise and Roxas. Even though she knew that their relationship was not the most ideal, Henrietta still envied Louise. She envied that Louise had someone that would go to extreme lengths to protect her. Someone that would simply be there for her.

Henrietta didn't have anyone like that. No one could really understand her position ever since Prince Wales died. Very few people knew, but when she heard about the death of her lover, Henrietta was completely distraught. The only people that saw a glimpse of that devastation was Louise and Roxas, but for everyone else, she had to act strong and be there leader in this time of need.

However, she was still human. She was not immune to pain and sadness just because she was royalty. It was when no one was around that was then she was finally able to fully greave the loss of Prince Wales. He was one of the few that could understand her.

And he was gone now.

"Wales" Henrietta whispered as she the tears continued to cascade down her cheeks. "I miss you so much."

Bum-bump

Henrietta gasped as she felt her heart suddenly throb wildly. It pounded against her chest, beating harder than she had ever felt before, as if it were trying to escape her own body. She clutched her chest, nearly in pain as her heart continued to pound.

However, it only lasted a few seconds before it slowly began to calm down again. She was breathing heavily, nearly frightened by the experience. If felt like her heart nearly ruptured for some reason.

"W-What was that?" she whispered out Loud, continuing to hold her chest after the strange experience.

"Henrietta"

Immediately, Henrietta forgot all about the strange occurrence as she jumped to her feet. She frantically looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. Someone had called her name. She was sure of it. But how? Who had managed to get past the guards and the other security?

"Henrietta. Out here."

The frightened princess looked towards the balcony door before she could make out a humanoid shadow standing there behind the glass. Immediately, she drew her wand and backed up a few paces, ready to signal Agnes.

"Who's there? You realize that you have trespassed onto royal grounds." She said, a threatening edge to her voice.

Vaguely, Henrietta could hear the faint sound of a very familiar laughter coming from behind the door. "How you wound me, my sweet Henrietta. After this short time, you have forgotten who I am?"

Henrietta blinked a few times in confusion as she listened to his voice. Why did that voice sound so familiar, and why did he call her his sweet henri…

…

Suddenly, her breath disappeared as a thought entered her mind. There was only one person whose voice matched this stranger, only one person who was that familiar with her, only one person who had ever dared call her that.

"Wales." She whispered as she slowly lowered her wand. She cautiously approached the door, her mind in complete shambles at this point. The closer she came to the window, the more she began to make out his features. Finally, she stood near the glass before peering out, hoping that her eyes were not lying to her.

The moons was shining brightly that night, gently radiating its vibrant glow off of the man that was standing there. Henrietta could not question it any longer.

It was him.

"W-Wales." She repeated, tears streaming down her face. "No, you are supposed to be dead! Louse and Roxas saw you die!"

"No, I am very much alive." Wales said with a soft smile.

"How-How can I be sure its you?"

At this question, Henrietta saw the Prince give a small smile as he raised his left hand. She gasped when she saw what was on his finger.

The wind ruby.

It was glowing brightly in the night.

The water ruby on her finger suddenly burst to life as well, glowing a bright blue as it reacted to Prince wales ring.

"The wind blowing in the dark knights" Wales said quietly.

"The oath of the water spirit." Henrietta whispered, tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide. Without a moments hesitation, she rushed to the door and threw it open. Her eyes widened again when she saw who was there.

He looked exactly how she remembered him. His golden hair, perfect face, and piercing blue eyes were exactly the same as the person she loved.

Rushing over to him, she threw her arms around his neck, crying onto his shoulder. "How? How is this possible? Wardes killed you! Louise and Roxas saw it!" she asked, her questions muffled through his cloak.

He slowly wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her close. "Henrietta, the person who died was my double. I managed to escape, but now, I need your help. Will you go to Albion with me?"

The Queen pulled away slightly before she shook her head. "No, if you go to Albania right now, they will kill you and me. I am the Queen now and I can't leave Tristan."

Wales cupped her chin before pulling her face towards him, silencing her with a soft kiss. It only lasted a moment before he pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I love you Henrietta. I want to be with you."

Henrietta blinked when she heard that. There had been a few times he had said that to her in the past. Each time there was warmth and conviction that penetrated her heart when he said those words.

But now…

It felt empty.

Slowly, she looked up into his eyes. Her own eyes widened a bit when she saw something very different about the man she loved. The look in his eyes was so…Empty, like there was nothing in him at all. Almost like he was an empty shell, just standing there.

"Henrietta?"

Henrietta blinked a few times as his words shook her from her bewilderment. She looked up at his smiling face again. She wanted so much for this to be real, to have her lover back. And he was standing right in front of her.

How could she say no.

"I love you to Wales. I-I will come with you."

* * *

"Agnes, you can't be serious!" Roxas shouted as he saw Agnes standing there in the doorway. Right when she had told them about the kidnapping, Both Roxas and Louise were wide-awake. They had literally seen the Queen just hours ago and someone had already managed to kidnap her.

"How in the world did she get kidnapped so quickly? What happened?" Louise asked. She was standing in front of the musketeer knight in just her nightmare, but she didn't care at the moment. She had other things to worry about.

Agnes grit her teeth together in frustration as she looked away from their piercing gaze. An ashamed look crossed her face as she clenched her fists. "It was my fault. I didn't think that someone could get to her through the balcony. But someone came and took her that same night I took you two homes. My knights are on their trail right now."

"Where are they headed?" Louise asked as she turned and rushed over to her dresser, pulling out a few articles of clothing.

"From what I know, they are headed towards Gallia. Or more specifically, Lagdorian Lake. For what purpose, I don't know." She said before she gave them a stern look. "We can't let anyone else know about this. If people found out that the queen was kidnapped, there would be a widespread panic. We need to rescue them with just my musketeer forces and you two. I need your help."

"Do you even have to ask?" Roxas said as he walked over to his bed and grabbed his coat. He threw it over his head before he turned to Louise. She was still in the middle of changing however.

"Then when you are ready, catch up to us. I will go on ahead and join the rest of my knights." Agnes said. "And be quick about it. If they get past Lagdorian Lake, we may never see Queen Henrietta ever again." She finished as she turned and raced out the door.

That last phrase made Louise freeze in horror. A look of complete dread filled her as she slowly looked over at Roxas.

Roxas met her gaze, but his eyes were a bit firmer. "What are you waiting for? Get dressed, we have to go!"

"R-Right!" Louise said as she started to change with more haste. She threw on her cloths with speed Roxas didn't know she was capable of. When she was finished, she turned to him. There was worry in her eyes…not just worry, but shear terror. "What if we can't make it in time? What if they get away with the queen?" Louise asked, tears nearly pricking the sides of her eyes.

Roxas turned away form her, his eyes narrowing. "That wont happen. We promised to help her didn't we? She is relying on us."

Louise clenched her fists, trying to get ahold of her fear. Finally, she walked up besides him, a more determined look in her eyes. Roxas was right. Henrietta had personally said she would be relying on them. And right now, she needed them more than ever.

And Louise was not going to let her down.

They were just about to walk out the door before Suki grabbed the back of Roxas's hood. "Wait!" She exclaimed.

Roxas turned to her, his teeth clenched a bit. "What is it Suki?" Roxas asked impatiently.

Suki flinched a bit at the bite in his voice but quickly shrugged it off. She could tell that Roxas and Louise were both very stressed at the moment. She quickly flew over to Roxas's bed before she dove under it. She emerged just seconds later with a potion in her paws. Recognizing it immediately, Roxas's eyes widened.

"How did you make this so fast?" Roxas asked.

Suki huffed as she held out the item for Roxas. "Who do you think your talking too? I am one of the best brewers among the Moogles." She said.

Roxas held out his hand as Suki dropped the potion in his palm. He smiled up at her. "Thanks Suki. You must have gone through a lot of trouble to make this."

Suki waved him off before she pointed at the door with her paw. "Get going! The Queen is not going to save herself."

"Right." Roxas responded as he and Louise exited the room.

While racing down the hallway, Louise looked over at Roxas. "What was that potion?" she asked.

Roxas grinned over at her. "Mega-Elixir."

* * *

It only took a few moments before Roxas and Louise were sprinting down the stairs of the academy. Agnes was long gone by now, racing her way to meet up with her fellow musketeer knights.

Truthfully, Roxas was a bit frustrated with himself. When the queen said that there were very few people she could trust, he took her words with a grain of salt, thinking that she was well protected. But just when he had taken his eyes off of her, she was kidnapped. Just like that!

"I cannot believe this." Roxas growled as he and Louise exited the academy.

"Nether can I. But we know the Musketeers wouldn't just let her Highness be kidnapped so easily. Whoever took her must be good." She said as she turned to Roxas. "We need to use the Corridor of Darkness. We could cut them off at Lagdorian Lake."

"Its possible, but if I use the corridor, then only I would be going." Roxas said.

Louise stopped cold as she glared at him. "What! Why? There is no way I am staying behind."

"The corridors are dangerous. Without this coat…" Roxas said as he tugged the collar of his jacket. "You would be directly exposed to the darkness. You could end up like Wales."

Louse paled a bit. She didn't know that little detail about Roxas's particular way to traveling, but she didn't have time to ponder it right now. "Then what are we supposed to do? How can we catch up to them?" She said as they approached the hoarse stalls. "The horses wont be fast enough for us to catch up."

"You let me worry about that." Roxas said as the Forgotten Light flashed into existence.

"How is that going to help?" Louise asked, frustration and impatience thick in her voice.

Roxas gave a small grin as he realized he never did show Louise what this keyblade was capable of. He suddenly threw it into the air. Both Louse and Roxas watched as the keyblade began to shine brightly before it suddenly transformed. The glider lowered itself until it was only a few feet off the ground.

Louise gasped as she recognized it immediately. "Its-Its that thing you used in the war. This is where you got it? It was one of your keyblades?"

Roxas nodded as he walked over to it and hopped on the seat. Amazingly, the glider didn't budge an inch as it continued to float a few feet off the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Louise asked angrily, glaring up at Roxas.

"You never asked." Roxas replied simply. "Now are you coming or not?"

Blinking a few times, Louise realized that Roxas was right. After the war, her mind was so boggled by everything that had happened that she didn't even ask where he got the flying…thing.

However, she glanced at the Keyblade glider with a bit of uncertainty in her eyes. There was enough room for her behind Roxas, but she was still a little skeptical about this new way of transportation.

"Louise, hurry up! If you don't get on right now, I am leaving without you! Roxas said, becoming a bit more impatient.

Louise swallowed her fear as she approached the hovering vehicle. It still boggled her mind that this vehicle was hovering with out any indication of how. Even the floating continent of Albion relied on the wind stones to keep it in the air.

However.

She had seen this strange device in action before. She knew how fast it was and if they were to make it in time, they needed that kind of speed. Shaking off any fear she had left, Louise carefully got onto the glider and situated herself behind Roxas, wrapping her arms around his midsection.

"Ok, I am ready." She said

Roxas nodded before he faced forward. He was about to take off into the sky before a blue dragon suddenly landed in front of him. He paused as he looked up into the teal eyes of Sylphid. Even though she was in dragon form, he could see the worry on her face. Usually, it was around this time where Roxas would be exiting the kitchen, where she would be waiting to either be fed a second breakfast, or maul over Roxas and cuddle with him.

"Sylphid, this is important, please move." Roxas said impatiently.

Cocking her head, Sylphid gave a questioning look. Biting his lower lip, Roxas knew that if he told Sylphid what he was up to, she would immediately tell Tabitha.

…

And was that really a bad thing? If things went south, they could use the back up. Besides, Roxas trusted Tabitha.

"Alright Sylphid, listen closely." Roxas started, causing the dragon to inch her head closer to him. "The Queen has been kidnapped. They are on their way to Lagdorian Lake. We need to catch up to them before they get to far. So please let us pass." He more of less begged.

Sylphid's dragon eyes widened a bit before she stepped aside. Roxas gave her a grateful smile before he faced forward again. Without another second's hesitation, both he and Louise shot into the sky above the trees.

Sylphid watched as they disappeared into the distance only for her to make a B-line straight to Tabitha's room. She needed to tell her master what was going on. Maybe they could help.

* * *

The wind was violently whipping around Roxas and Louise and they flew on the glider. The trees whizzed by as they shot through the air. Had the situation not been dire, Louise would have enjoyed the feeling of the wind brushing through her hair. This thing was much faster than riding any dragon or griffin, not to mention much smoother. Glancing down, she could only watch in awe as they zoomed over the trees.

Roxas's mind was focused on the direction they were supposed to go. He knew the general idea of where to go based on his previous venture to Lagdorian Lake, but it was a bit more difficult to tell from up here. Glancing down, he made sure they were still following the dirt path that leads to Gallia. He gave a slight smile when he saw they were still heading in the correct direction.

Suddenly, something else on the path caught his eye. There were a few objects lying in the middle of the path just ahead. Zooming forward, Roxas got close enough to get a better look.

What he saw made his eyes widen in horror.

"Louise, we have to make a quick stop!" Roxas said suddenly.

"What? Why?" Louise asked.

Roxas pointed down towards the path, causing Louise to turn her attention there. That's when she understood what Roxas was talking about. There were objects lying on the rode, and not just any objects.

Bodies.

Roxas suddenly lowered the glider until he pulled it to a stop. He leaped off the glider before he approached the first body. He immediately recognized who it was.

"Agnes! Are you alright?" Roxas called as he knelt down and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

The downed knight groaned a bit as she slowly pushed herself to her knees. Looking up at him, she gave a painful grin. A bit of blood was trailing down the side of her lip. Blood was also trailing down the side of her face from a cut on her forehead.

"Roxas, what took you so long?" She asked as she forced herself to a seating position.

"Sorry." Roxas said as he looked around at the rest of the bodies. There were a few groans, testifying that they were alive, but hurt. Roxas turned back to Agnes before he extended his hand. "Cura."

Immediately a green light enveloped the knight. Agnes nearly panicked and drew her sword, but then noticed that the pain was already starting to dissipate. She curiously looked at Roxas, who was only showing a slight sign concentration. The cuts and bruises began to vanish within seconds. It was only a moment later that the spell ended.

Agnes blinked a few times as she clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to feel for any form of pain. Finding none, she stared over at the Nobody. "That…is a pretty useful spell."

"Yeah I know. What about the others? Do they need healing?" He asked.

Agnes looked at the rest of her Musketeers. Honestly, the extent of their wounds was not that sever. They were already staring to push themselves back to there feet. Making her decision, she turned back to the Nobody.

"You let me deal with them. You need to catch up to the queen before they get past Lagdorian Lake." Agnes responded as she stood on her feet. She approached the nearest knight before helping her to stand.

Roxas paused for a bit as he also stood up. "Are you sure?"

Agnes opened her mouth to respond, but the knight she helped stand cut her off. "We are ok. The queen is more important than a few minor wounds." She said. "But be careful. We caught up, but whoever took the queen is also skilled at magic."

"Michelle" Agnes said as she looked at the blue-haired knight.

"We are fine. Go help the queen." Michelle said as she struggled to stand on her own feet.

Roxas bit his lower lip before he nodded. He needed to save his magic anyway. If he showed up tired because he had to heal every one of the knights, he would not be much help.

However…

Roxas walked over to Agnes before he reached into his pocket. Pulling out the potion that Suki game him, he handed it over to Agnes.

"Take this."

Agnes stared down at the glowing potion in his hand, eyeing it skeptically. "What is it?"

"Mega-Elixir. If your knights are standing close and you use it, it will heal everyone around you." He said as he forced it into her hand.

Agnes stared at him for a few seconds before looking at the potion. "Are you serious?"

Roxas nodded. "When everyone is healed, catch up to us. We will go on ahead." Roxas finished as he turned to Louise. "Lets go."

"R-Right." Louise said as she glanced over at the potion. "Are you sure about that Roxas? Will it really heal them all?"

"Yes. I have used it many times before and I have faith in Suki's ability." Roxas confirmed.

Louise gave one unsure look at Agnes and the rest of the knights. She didn't like the idea of leaving injured people like this. But if Roxas were so sure, then she would not doubt him how. And besides, the more they waited, the further the queen got away.

Louise and Roxas hopped on the glider before taking off down the road again.

Agnes and Michelle watched them disappear into the distance before they began to help the other Knights to there feet.

"Agnes…That thing they were riding…was that the same as the one in Tarbes?" Michelle asked.

Agnes looked over to Michelle before she nodded her head. "Don't speak of it to anyone Michelle."

"But why not? If that's the same one, then why don't we use it to wage an attack on Albion?"

"The Queen gave her orders Michelle. She must have her reasons." Agnes replied as she approached another knight. Honestly, after the battle of Tarbes, there were no words to describe the amount of confusion Agnes had experienced. With the arrival of Sora and Riku, all the way to the Mysterious Roxas, there was just no end to the amount of questions that plagued the knight's mind.

Who was Roxas? Where did Sora and Riku come from and where did they go? What was with the conversation they had after the battle of Tarbes? She wanted to ask the Queen so badly about it all, but with Henrietta's advancement to the role of Queen and all the preparations that went with it, she didn't the time.

Agnes was a patent person, but these questions needed answered and soon.

* * *

Roxas and Louise were racing down the dirt road, sending up a dust trail as they rode along. From what they could see, the perpetrator could not be that far ahead based on the condition of Agnes and her knights. There wounds looked fresh, so they should be catching up soon.

"Go a bit higher Roxas." Louise said.

Roxas nodded as he steered the glider higher into the sky to get a better view. Above the trees, they saw the sun's reflection off of Lagdorian Lake. They were almost there, but there was still no sign of Henrietta or the person who had taken her. They few over the trees before finally reaching the lake.

True to the Water Spirits word, the lake had gone down quite a bit since they last saw it. Scanning the shores of the lake, Roxas and Louise tried to spot anything suspicious.

That's when they saw it.

Racing across the shores of the lake, there were two cloaked people riding on horseback. Because their hoods were up, neither Roxas nor Louise could tell who they were, but it was the best lead they were going to get.

Shooting across the lake, Roxas and Louise headed straight towards them. It was just a second later that the glider reached the shore and completely cut off the two on horseback. The hoarse slid to a halt as the two hooded people stared at the glider.

Roxas and Louise jumped off before the glider suddenly transformed back into the forgotten light. Roxas reached out his hand as the keyblade flew threw the air and landed in his palm. He then got into his one-keyblade stance, eyeing the two people with suspicion.

Both hooded figure looked at each other for a second before they dismounted the hoarse. With once quick slap to the rear, the hoarse whinnied in pain before it galloped into the forest.

The two parties stared at each other for the longest time, as if waiting for one or the other make the first move. Louise made the first move as she suddenly stepped forward.

"Q-Queen Henrietta. Is that you?" she asked carefully, her wand clenched in her fist.

Both hooded figures paused for a few moments before one of them took a step forward. Reaching up, she grasped the end of her hood and removed it from her face.

There was no mistaking it.

"Queen Henrietta!" Louise exclaimed as she lowered her wand. She was about to rush forward, but a sudden gust of wind violently collided with her, nearly sending the girl to the ground.

Roxas rushed forward and placed a hand on her shoulder to stabilize her balance before he glared at the other hooded figure. That person had his own wand out, clearly indicating that he was the one that cast the spell.

Looking up at Henrietta's face, Louise was shocked to see her expression had not changed. Louise glanced at the other figure as she narrowed her eyes. Raising her wand, she pointed it at him.

"Henrietta! Get away from him." She shouted.

Henrietta didn't move an inch towards them; rather she shifted herself until half of her body was behind the hooded person. She rested on hand on his shoulder as she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

"Henrietta! What are you doing?"

Henrietta stayed rooted in her spot, her face showing conviction of her actions. She knew perfectly well what she was doing.

And that scared Louise.

Suddenly, the hooded figure started to chuckle, causing Roxas and Louise to look over at him. "Clearly from her actions, she does not want to go back with you." Said the person, his voice clearly male.

Louise glared at the man. "What are you talking about?"

"What I am saying is that she chose to come with me. She will not be going back with you."

Both Louise and Roxas's eyes widened as they turned their attention to the Queen. She was looking away from them with a bit of shame on her face, but her eyes showed the same resolve. There was no question about it. This man was telling the truth.

And that hurt.

"Why? Why would you do that Henrietta? Why would you go with a complete stranger?" Roxas asked through gritted teeth.

The hooded figure laughed again, catching Roxas's attention. "You don't recognize me Roxas? Or you Louise?" he asked as he turned his gaze over to the girl. "And after I gave my life to save yours."

Louise frowned a bit as she looked at the hooded figure. What was he talking about? The only person who had given his life to save hers was….

Roxas was in the same train of thought as well. There had been only one person who had died in Louise's place, one person who had sacrificed his own existence to save hers.

"It can't be." Roxas whispered, his eyes widening by the second.

Slowly, the hooded figure raised his hand and with one quick motion, removed his hood. Immediately, Roxas and Louise gasped when they recognized the person standing there.

"Wales." Roxas whispered. "How is this possible!? You were directly exposed to the darkness. It should have consumed you…" He started before he realized what he was saying. He suddenly remembered what happens to a person with a strong heart when they are consumed by the darkness.

Biting his lower lip, he looked into the eyes of the former prince of Albion. Just from one glance, Roxas could tell a distinct difference between the Wales he saw before and the Wales that was standing in front of him now. His eyes were completely empty, void of anything. It nearly reminded Roxas of looking at himself in the mirror when he first joined Organization 13.

"How is this possible? It can't be."

"It is possible!"

Roxas and Louise tore their gaze away from the prince before they turned their attention to Henrietta. She had her staff out, pointing at them with tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "This is prince Wales. His double was the one that died that day. He told me himself."

Louise was looking between the prince and Henrietta a few times, obviously a loss for words at the situation. Roxas however turned his attention back to Wales, staring into his lifeless eyes. The smile Wales had on his face…He had seen it many times before.

It was the exact same fake smile that most of the members of organization 13 would use.

It was the smile of a Nobody.

"Wales." Roxas started, catching the Prince's attention. "You're a Nobody. Aren't you?"

Henrietta and Louise snapped their gaze over at Roxas, there eyes widening a bit. They then looked back at Wales.

"Roxas! What are you saying?" Louise asked.

"Louise, you remember what I told you about the Nobodies? They are born form those who have lost there hearts to the darkness. After someone looses there heart, all that remains is…

"An…empty shell." Louise finished as she turned back to the prince.

Wales no longer had a smile on his face as all the attention was turned towards him. Henrietta was staring at him, her eyes wide and her mouth dropped open a bit.

"Is-Is it true?" Henrietta asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Wales looked over at her for a few seconds.

The prince breathed out a sigh as he turned his attention back to Roxas, the fake smile returning to his face. "I am surprised that you guessed it so fast Roxas, but considering who you are…or what you are, I shouldn't be surprised." Wales said as he raised his wand again.

Roxas paused for a few moments before the meaning behind Wales's words rang clear. His eyes widened a bit. "Wha…how would you know about that?" Roxas asked. The only people he had told he was a Nobody was his group of friends. There was no point in time where he had told Wales about himself. There wasn't anyone else that knew about it. Did Henrietta say something?

"That is none of your concern. My only objective is to retrieve the Queen so I can get what was promised to me." Wales said, his smile vanishing again.

"Prince Wales. What are you saying?" Henrietta asked, tears forming on the sides of her eyes before cascading down her cheeks.

Wales looked over at the princess for a few moments, his features softening slightly. "I remember everything Henrietta. I remember how I felt about you, how I felt about my country, and how much I love both." He started as he cast his gaze down to the ground. "But now I feel nothing. You don't know what it is like to have memories of these powerful feelings I used to have, only for them to remain in my memory. It's…Agonizing. I need your help to get my heart back. Please Henrietta."

Henrietta felt her lower lip tremble as she heard his words. Suddenly, She gave a small gasp in pain as she felt her own heart throb within her chest. It only lasted a brief second, but it was enough for her to clasp her hand over her chest and take a few breaths.

"Henrietta?" Wales asked. "Are you ok?"

Henrietta took a couple more deep breaths before she looked up at him, clear conviction in her eyes. She then turned toward Louise and Roxas, her staff raised. "As your Queen, I command you to step aside."

Louise stared wide-eyed at the queen. "What are you saying? You can't go with him Queen Henrietta. Your country needs you!"

Henrietta grit her teeth as she glared at her friend. "And you don't think I know that? Well, what about what I want?"

Roxas and Louise stared at the Queen for a long time before Louise stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

Henrietta glared at Louise. "Do you understand the burden being Queen puts on a person? I have no one to share that burden with, no one who is there for me. I have to rule this country with no one to rely on while corrupt officials try and take over this country from within. Can you understand what that's like? To not have hardly anyone you can trust?" Henrietta bit back, causing Louise to flinch. "You don't understand. Friends and people you can trust constantly surround you. You have a dedicated familiar who will protect you with his own life if it comes down to it. What would you know about the kind of pressure I am under?" Henrietta finished, tears streaming down her face.

Louise looked like she was just slapped in the face. It was true that she didn't know what that was like. Everything the queen was saying was true.

Roxas also felt a bit hurt by her words. He knew that the responsibilities of the Queen were an immense burden, but he didn't think it would have affected Henrietta like this. It was true that she didn't have anyone. Ever since he let Wales be consumed by the darkness, she had been alone.

His heart was consumed.

If the prince was consumed by the darkness, then were was his heart? Who would be able to restore it and how?

"Wales." Roxas said, getting the princes attention. "Who told you that they would get you back your heart? That should be impossible unless you know where it is…or what heartless was created from it."

Wales stared at Roxas for a few moments before he scoffed. "What does it matter? He was the only one that offered a way to restore my heart. I will take any chance I can get."

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "Someone told you they would be able to restore your heart?" Roxas asked as his mind went into a frenzy. If someone told him that, then they must have knowledge of kingdom hearts and the heartless. If that's true, then they must not be from this world.

"Who was it? What did they look like?" Roxas asked again.

"Like I said." Wales said as he raised his wand. Magical energy started to form around his being, causing Roxas to crouch down in his keyblade stance. "It does not matter as long as I get my heart back."

Suddenly, the prince chanted a quick spell, causing a gust of wind to erupt from his wand.

"LOUISE! LOOK OUT!" Roxas yelled as he dashed over to the shocked girl and tackled her out of the way. The gust of wind ripped through the beach, casting sand and dust into he air before it crashed into the tree line.

Roxas sped backwards a bit before he shot to the right, Louise thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Wales continued chanting spells, sending condensed channels of wind shooting after them. Roxas weaved around them, trying to avoid being hit directly by the spells. The channels collided with the trees, causing major gashes to appear on the bark and even slicing through a few branches free.

Roxas had to admit, Wales was good. Dashing into the tree line, Roxas dodged another particularly powerful gust of wind. It was a good thing that he did too. The wind sliced straight through the trunk of a tree he just passed. He dashed forward, narrowly avoiding the tree as it loudly fell to the ground. It smashed into the ground, sending dirt and dust cascading up into the air.

Gritting his teeth, Roxas crouched down behind the fallen tree as she carefully placed Louise on the ground. She was still a bit of shocked at what was happening. Roxas grabbed her shoulders as he shook her a few times.

"Louise! Snap out of it!" he whispered loudly.

Louise looked up at him, her eyes still wide with fear. "H-How is this happening Roxas? How could the Queen betray us like this? Why is Wales attacking us?" She asked, tears starting to prick the corner of her eyes.

Roxas bit his lower lip as he felt another gust of wind smash into the tree they were hiding behind. The bark was being ripped from the trunk because of the power of the spell. He knew exactly why Wales was attacking. He knew how much a Nobody wanted a heart; especially one that remembered what it was like.

"Louise, we don't have time to think about that now. The Queen needs you." Roxas said.

Louise slowly looked up at him as another gust of wind slammed into the tree. Her hair was thrown in all directions by the wind, but she didn't pay it any mind. She was listening to his words.

"Now more than ever, Henrietta needs your help. She is right when she said she is alone, but going with Wales will not make anything better." Roxas continued. He took a second to look over the fallen tree to see Wales standing there, looking directly at them. Wales pointed his wand at the tree, chanting a spell.

Without a second's hesitation, Roxas grabbed Louise and dashed out from behind the tree just as another wind spell completely sliced it in half.

"But-But what am I supposed to do? Wales is a Triangle class wind mage. I-I can't control the light quite yet. Not enough to fight him." Louise said as Roxas shot behind another tree. He weaved through the trees before he emerged from the tree line again. He skidded to a halt on the sandy shore of Lagdorian lake.

"You let me worry about Wales. You need to talk some sense into the Queen." Roxas said as he put Louise down. The oblivion flashed into existence in his right hand as the oathkeeper appeared in his left.

Louise stared at her familiar for a few seconds before she looked down the shoreline. Henrietta was standing there with her staff out, her face showing determination. Wales had just emerged from the tree line as well, standing next to the Queen.

Louise stared at her childhood friend, remembering all the memorable moments they shared together as kids. Her whole life consisted of people looking down on her because of her inability to use magic. No one, not even her own mother and father, had showed her and ounce of love or respect. The only people that had given her the time of day were one of her older sisters, and Henrietta.

Henrietta had always been her friend. She never cared that Louise struggled with magic. Henrietta never cared about the status of Louise's family. She simply saw Louise for the friend she was, and was always there for her.

Now it was time for Louise to do the same. She needed to help her, even if Henrietta didn't want it.

She looked back up at Roxas; a determined look filled her eyes. She only gave a small nod before she turned back to the duo. Slowly, she reached into her blouse and pulled out her wand, a very faint white aura beginning to surround her.

Roxas gave a small grin as both he and Louise slowly started to walk towards Henrietta and Wales.

Henrietta narrowed her eyes a bit as she watched the two approaches. "I am going to say this one last time Louise. As your Queen, I order you to stand down. Please obey this last order from your Queen." She said, just a hit of pleading in her voice.

"I can't do that Queen Henrietta." Louise said as she stopped in front of her best friend. "I have to stop you."

"Why?" Henrietta asked, frustrating tears forming in her eyes. "Why can you just let me go?"

"Because…" Louise started, a sad smile forming on her face as she lowered her wand a bit. "Because you are my best friend. Even if you don't want to come back, I have to stop you. I have to protect you even if you don't want it."

"She is not going anywhere." Wales said as he stood in front of Henrietta, pointing his wand at Louise. He quickly chanted a spell before another devastating gust of wind blasted straight at the girl.

"Reflect!"

The wind smashed into a barrier of light before it shattered. The result was a minor explosion that nearly made Wales and Henrietta loose their balance. They stumbled a bit before they fixed their gaze on the settling dust. Standing there was Roxas, his oathkeeper raised in his hand as he glared at Wales.

"I am the one you should worry about Wales." Roxas said as he suddenly dashed forward at the prince. Wales sent another stream of condensed wind at Roxas, but the Nobody made a sharp turn, completely dodging the spell before he turned and shot back at the prince. He swung the oblivion at Wales, trying to connect with his torso, but the prince suddenly chanted another spell.

Without warning, Roxas's keyblade collided with a wall of wind that erected just a few inches in front of the prince. However, Roxas pushed against his keyblade, trying to break through the barrier.

Wales grunted, his teeth clenched as he tried to keep the barrier erect, but the sheer amount of strength Roxas was pushing with made it difficult. Finally, when the barrier was about to break, Wales pointed his wand at the sand. Another gust of wind collided with the ground, effectively throwing Prince Wales away form Roxas with the force of the blast. Wales rolled over his shoulder before he was quickly on his feet. He turned to Roxas, only for his eyes to widen again as a spinning projectile headed straight for him.

Wales dove out of the way as the weapon whizzed over his head, taking a few hairs off his head as it passed. He rolled again before he looked back at Roxas.

Roxas simply extended his hand as he caught the weapon as it returned to him. Roxas glared at Wales as he drew his hand back again. "Strike Raid."

Wales barely had time to erect another barrier of wind before the keyblade violently smashed into it. The keyblade ricochet off the wind, but Roxas was already moving. He dashed at the prince, the oathkeeper ready to strike. With one swing, Wales felt the immense force of the strike against his wind barrier. It didn't help when the other keyblade sored threw the air and landed in Roxas's palm. Roxas then started to mercilessly smash his keyblades again the wind barrier one after the other.

Wales grunted as he tired to keep the barrier up. He never realized that Roxas was this strong. He was forced to a knee as Roxas raised both his keyblades at the same time and smashed them down on the barrier. The barrier shattered as the wind died down. Roxas was about to strike again, but Wales was quick. He pointed his want in the middle of Roxas's chest, point blank. Roxas barely had time to cross his keyblades over his chest before a blast of wind collided with him.

Clenching his teeth, Roxas tried to stay on his feet as the force of the wind started to push him backwards. He had to admit, Wales was talented with magic, even more so that Wardes himself. Roxas felt the force of the wind increase, causing him to be lifted off his feet. With a final blast, Roxas was thrown threw the air, however, he was able to roll and land on his feet, ready for another blast.

A small smile crept on his face as Roxas faced Wales. The prince was breathing hard and sweating already, but he still looked determined. Roxas had to admit.

He was having fun. Maybe he could step it up a bit.

"Your good." Roxas said.

Wales gave a small smile as he got into a stance, his wand pointed in front of him. "You are as well. I was warned that you would be difficult to defeat. That was why I received a bit of training from the man that found me. He taught me a few things about wind magic."

"Is that so?" Roxas said as he got down in his dual wielding stance. "And you never saw what he looked like?"

Wales grinned. "I didn't. He kept his hood up, but I will say this…" Wales said as determination filled his eyes again. "He was stronger than anyone I have ever met. In any of our training sessions, I could never even touch him once."

Roxas blinked a few times as he took in Wales's words. His eyes widened a bit. Roxas wasn't going all out, but Wales was no slouch either. The fact that he was not able to even touch the person that trained him was a bit frightening.

But also a bit exciting.

"Then I guess I will have to take it up a notch." Roxas said, causing the prince to glare over at him.

"What do you mean? Are you not fighting at your peak?" Wales asked.

"Not at all." Roxas replied as he closed his eyes. Wales watched curiously for a few seconds before arcs of red energy began to cascade down Roxas's coat. Suddenly, Roxas opened his eyes before his entire being erupted in a flash of light.

Wales had to shield his eyes for a second before the light was gone. He lowered his arm only for his eyes to widen again.

Roxas was standing there, but instead of his black coat, he was wearing a red one. It was dark rad with a large symbol of a Nobody on the front of his chest. Arcs of red energy were bouncing around his frame as he held the oblivion in one hand and the Oathkeeper in the other. The sheer amount of power he was showing was almost frightening.

"I probably didn't need to use this." Roxas said as he looked down at his red gloves. "But I haven't used it in a while, and I think I could use a bit of practice."

Wales readied himself, but nothing could prepare him for what happened next. It was almost as if Roxas blurred out of existence before he was standing right in front of him. Wales's torso erupted in pain as the oblivion collided with him. He was thrown off his feet, but Roxas was not done. Dashing forward, Roxas appeared behind the prince as he was falling to the ground. He swung his keyblade again before it collided painfully with Wales's back, throwing the prince back into the air.

With another dash, Roxas appeared right above the prince, only to smash his keyblade into his chest, sending him straight down into the ground. However, Roxas had one more move left. He blurred to the ground before he swung his keyblade one last time. It smashed into he prince's shoulder, sending him hurling to the side and landing roughly into the sandy ground. His body rolled a few times, kicking up sand in the process, before he came to a halt on the ground.

Roxas looked over at his downed opponent before he slowly started to walk over to him. He saw the prince struggling to push himself to his feet, but his body was so battered, that he doubted the prince could stand anymore. As he continued to approach, he saw that Wales was able to push himself to his knees.

Wales looked up at Roxas, a trail of blood leaking down the side of his head and mouth. He saw that Roxas was slowly approaching, both his keyblades in his hands.

"Well, I have to say…I wasn't expecting that." Wales said as he tried to push himself to his feet, only to fall back to the sand. "It seems that I was severely misinformed about your power."

Roxas stopped walking forward before he pointed his keyblade at the downed mage. "Do you really think that these people will be able to restore your heart?" Roxas asked Wales.

"What else am I supposed to believe in?" Wales shot back. "You don't know what it is like Roxas. You were born with nothing. You were nothing to begin with. You never understood what it was like to have a heart. And because of that…" Wales started, his teeth clenched as he looked up at Roxas. "You don't understand what it's like to loose it."

Roxas stared at Wales as Wales wiped the blood from his lip. "You're right. I don't understand, but I was in your position at one point. Others around me described what it was like and I couldn't help but desire that for myself. So I worked for an organization that promised us that we would have hearts of our own one day."

Wales stared at Roxas for the longest time, as if beckoning him to continue. So Roxas did. "We were promised hearts of our own if we followed the person in charge. We blindly listened to his every command because he was the only one that promised us what we wanted. But…" Roxas paused.

"But?" Wales said, intrigued by the story.

"It was all just a lie." Roxas finished, his eyes narrowing and his grip on the keyblades tightening.

"A lie?"

Roxas nodded. "The leader of the organization lied to us. There was no way for us to regain our hearts through his means. He never intended for us to regain our hearts. The only way to restore ones heart is to either know where it is, destroy the heartless that was created from it, or grow one of your own." Roxas finished.

Wales grit his teeth as he looked at the Nobody. "Then where is my heart? If they are lying to me, how can I find it? What hope do I have?"

"I don't know." Roxas said sadly. "But trusting this person, a person that wares the same coat as I do, you will never regain your heart with his help."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because…Like you I am a Nobody." Roxas finished.

Wales stared at Roxas for a long time. He knew that Roxas had a heart. "What do you mean? You have a heart."

"Yes." Roxas said as he brought his right hand over his heart. "But I was still created when someone strong lost their heart. I was not able to have my heart returned to me, so I had to grow one of my own."

"What do you mean?"

"The person I was created from already had his heart restored. So there was no way for my heart to be returned to me. I had to grow my own. It took time, but with the help of those around me, I began to understand what it was like to have a heart. However…" Roxas said as he narrowed his eyes at Wales. "That means I am still a Nobody. I am still a lot like you. Please Wales, don't to this. You remember what it was like…would the Wales with a heart do something like this?"

Wales paused for a long time as he thought about Roxas's words. He thought long and hard about his memories, the memories of himself when he had his heart.

"I-I"

"GET AWAY FROM WALES!"

Roxas had no time to react as he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He gasped as he looked down, only to see a few shards of ice imbedded in his stomach. He grunted as a bit of blood dribbled down the side of his mouth. He raised his oathkeeper, ready to cast a cure spell, but for some reason, it didn't work.

That's when he remembered.

The Valor drive form increased all his physical abilities, but it completely took away his magic. He collapsed to his knees before he let the drive form dissipate, turning his red coat back into its usual black.

Immediately, a wave of exhaustion overcame the Nobody, causing him to nearly fall flat on his face. He cursed himself for letting his guard down, but he didn't expect a surprise attack. Looking up, he saw Henrietta standing there next to the prince, trying to help support him by slinging his arm over her shoulder.

"H-Henrietta" Roxas said as more blood escaped his mouth.

"Roxas!" Louise shouted as she ran up to him. Roxas turned to look at her. Just by that one glance, He could tell that she wasn't just standing by and watching the battle happen. Louise's cloths were ripped in a few places and she supported a few gashes as well.

* * *

 ** _A bit earlier_**

Louise watched at Roxas and Wales started to fight, but her attention quickly turned to Henrietta, who was about to step in.

"Queen Henrietta!" Louise shouted, causing the queen to look at her. Louise raised her wand, pointing at her. "I will stop you."

"You defy your Queen?" Henrietta asked dangerously, her staff raised.

"If I have to." Louise responded, the aura of light increasing a bit more.

"Then I apologize for what I am about to do, but I have too." Henrietta said, tears streaming down her face.

"Why? Why do you have to do this Queen Henrietta?" Louise asked.

Henrietta grit her teeth as she looked at Louise, her gaze softened a bit. "Have you ever loved someone with all of your heart Louise? The kind of love that would drive you to give up everything to be with them?"

Louise stared at the princess, a bit lost for words. "You really feel that way?"

Henrietta nodded as she clenched her staff in her hands hard enough for her knuckles to go white. Suddenly, Henrietta gasped in pain as her heart gave another nasty throb. She cried out as she clenched her hand over her chest.

Louise watched in confusion as she saw the Queen fall to her knees, her hand clenched over her heart. Immediately, a worried look crossed her face and she was about to rush up to her Queen. "Henrietta! What's wron…" She started before she noticed a small red glow light up the queen's chest for just a second before it died down. She stared at the Queen for a few seconds, watching her catch her breath and stand on her feet.

"W-What was that Henrietta?" Louise asked, about to approach her friend again.

"Stay back!" Henrietta demanded, raising her staff at Louise. "I am warning you Louise, I will fight."

Louise grit her teeth as she raised her wand. "Then I will as well."

"Then you leave me no choice." Henrietta finished as she started to chant a spell. Suddenly, the air turned extremely cold before a wave of ice spikes erupted from the ground and shot at Louise.

Reacting quickly, Louise pointed her wand downward at the ice. "Explosion!"

Immediately, the ice exploded, sending shards flying in all directions. Louise quickly ducked as a few sailed over her head, while Henrietta quickly jumped behind a tree, allowing the spikes to imbed themselves in the bark.

Louise quickly got back to her feet, looking around in fear, hoping that she didn't hurt the Queen to bad. She received her answer as another wave of ice shot at her from behind the trees. Quickly, she raised her wand, "Explosion!"

The ice exploded again, casting a good amount of sand and dust into the air. Using it as cover, Louise rand into the tree line, hoping to hide. She knew if she hit Henrietta with her explosion head on, then it might kill her. She couldn't do that.

"Louise. You have been practicing haven't you? Being able aim your explosions like that and control them. Its impressive."

"If I cant cast regular spells, then I might as well practice with what I've got." Louise responded from behind the tree. She remembered the few times she trained with Roxas after the battle at Tarbes. Roxas insisted that she learn to control her explosions and even learn to aim them.

Gritting her teeth, Louise jumped out form behind the tree and pointed her wand at the ground in front of Henrietta "Explosion!"

The ground erupted and the shockwave sent the queen off balance, causing her to land on her back, her staff flying from her hands. Henrietta tried to get back on her feet, but Louise was a bit quicker. She ran over to Henrietta's staff before she picked it up. Henrietta stared up at her, narrowing her eyes.

"Give me my staff Louise." She demanded.

Louise shook her head. "I can't do that." She said as she slowly approached the Queen. "Please stop this madness Henrietta. You know what will happen to you if you go to Albion."

"I don't care!" Henrietta cried. "Please!"

A sudden noise caught their attention. They looked down the shoreline to see Wales on his knees, staring up at Roxas, who was wearing his red coat. Wales looked worse for wares however.

Seeing her Wales like that, Henrietta felt another painful throb in her heart. She cried out in pain as her chest started to glow red again.

Louise looked back at Henrietta in concern before she quickly approached. She knelt down next to her, putting a hand on her back. "Queen Henrietta! What's happening? Are you hurt?" She asked fearfully, wondering if it was her fault?

The pain only lasted for a second before her heart clamed down again. She didn't have time to think about it because her thoughts were on Wales. Glancing over at Louise, she saw that her guard was down. With one quick movement, she snatched her staff right out of Louise's grasp before she quickly drove her elbow into Louise's stomach.

For a brief second, Louise lost all the air in her lungs, just long enough for Henrietta to get away.

"GET AWAY FROM WALES!" Henrietta shouted as she set a series of ice spikes heading straight for Roxas.

* * *

 ** _Now_**

"I'm sorry Roxas. She caught me by surprise." Louise said as she rested a hand on Roxas's back.

Roxas shook his head as he looked up at the duo. Both he and Louise were at there mercy right now. He looked at Wales, who was staring down at Henrietta. He could see the confliction in his eyes.

"Roxas, I'm sorry. I know that he may be lying about restoring my heart, but that is the only option I have." Wales said as he pointed his staff down at Roxas and Louise. "This is the end."

Roxas clenched his eyes closed. He knew how fast Wales could cast a spell, so he didn't have time to use Cure to heal his wounds. And even if he did, there was no way they would heal fast enough for them to escape.

Both he and Louise watched as Wales finished chanting the spell. A massive gust of wind erupted from his wand before it shot at them. Louise closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

BAM!

Louise kept her eye closed as she continued to wait for the impact, but it never came. Slowly, she opened her eyes only for them to shoot wide open. The wind from Wales's spell had collided with another barrier of wind that had erupted in front of Roxas and Louise. The two spells cancelled each other out, dispersing the wind harmlessly over the water.

"W-What happened?" Louie asked.

Roxas just had a small grin on his face as he pointed into the air. Following his finger, Louise saw a couple familiar faces riding on the back of a blue dragon.

"Darling! Zero!" said the redhead.

"Kirche! Tabitha!" Louise shouted.

Sylphid landed behind Roxas and Louise while Kirche and Tabitha jumped from her back, aiming their wands at Prince wales and Henrietta.

"Roxas, Is that who I think it is?" Kirche asked as she looked over at Wales.

Roxas only nodded.

Tabitha and Kirche continued to stare at them. "What is going on?" asked Tabitha.

"There is no time to explain." Roxas said as he raised his Oathkeeper. "Cura"

Immediately, the wounds on his stomach began to disappear, but he was still exhausted from using Valor form. He really needed to practice a bit more with it. Slowly, he turned to Wales and Henrietta.

"You are outnumbered. Please stop this." Roxas said.

Henrietta looked up at Wales, wondering how they were going to get out of this one. Wales, on the other had, was looking downward, his hair covering his eyes. It only lasted a second before a fake smile covered his face.

"You know." He said as he raised his right arm, his hand in the position to snap his fingers. "There are perks to being a nobody, though I didn't think I would have to use them." He suddenly snapped his fingers.

Just as he did so, Roxas's eyes widened as silver portals appeared in front of them. Just seconds later, a small army of dusks appeared in between the two parties.

"W-What!" Roxas exclaimed.

Wales just gave a satisfied grin as he waved his hand. Just as he did so, the dusks suddenly attacked the group. The quickest people to react were Tabitha and Kirche. Tabitha pointed her wand forward before a gust of wind erupted from her wand. Kirche did the same, but only fire came forth. The fire collided with the wind, creating a devastating firestorm heading straight for the dusks. The fire engulfed them all, burning them to a crisp, but other dusks took their place.

Roxas and Louise managed to jump away as the dusks started to attack.

"What's going on!? I thought they were on our side!" Louise exclaimed as she pointed her wand at one of the approaching dusks. It completely exploded as she cast her spell.

Roxas bit his lower lip as he glared at the grinning face of Wales. Roxas knew why he was able to control some of the Nobodies, but he didn't know how? How did Wales learn to control them?"

He couldn't answer that question now because he had other things to worry about. Roxas raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. Immediately, more silver portals opened, only this time, a wave of snipers appeared.

"Destroy the Dusks!" Roxas commanded. His nobodies immediately responded by unloading their projectiles at the army of dusks.

On the sidelines, Henrietta watched in horror as the battle commences. She never expected something like this. This was like an all out battle. She watched at Kirche casted a massive fire spell at an oncoming group of dusks, while Tabitha blew them away with a wind spell. She watched as Sylphid swatted them away with her massive tail, while the snipers shot them out of the sky.

"Henrietta!"

Henrietta turned her attention to the person who had called out to her. It was Roxas.

"Is this what you wanted?" he gestured to the battled before he whirled his keyblade at an oncoming dusk, completely obliterating it in the process. "You always talked about how much you wanted to avoid fighting! Did you think that would end if you went with Wales? What do you think would happen to Tristan if you left? What would happen to your home?"

"I-I" Henrietta said as she clenched her teeth. "What am I supposed to do? I can't survive without Wales in my life." She said as he looked up at Wales. He also turned to look into her eyes. Just as they made contact, the pain in her heart return, but this time with a vengeance. She cried out in pain as she fell to her knees, her hand over her heart. Her chest started to glow red again. Henrietta had never felt this kind of pain before, almost as if her heart was trying to escape her chest.

"Henrietta, my dear, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Wales asked as he knelt down next to her, his hand on her back.

Roxas caught his keyblade after he threw it at another dusk. He turned his attention back to Queen Henrietta and Prince Wales before he frowned. It wasn't until he noticed the glowing light on Henrietta's chest that his eyes widened a bit. For some reason, this situation seemed really familiar…

Suddenly, A memory hit Roxas like a ton of bricks.

 _Don't you see yet! The princesses' heart is responding. It's been there all along; Kairi's heart rests within you._

Roxas's eyes widened when he finally realized the truth. With the queen on her knees, her hand clutched over her heart, and the only one without a heart just standing inches form her; Roxas knew where Wales's heart was. How had he not seen it before?

But…

But even if he knew where Wales's heart was, how could he separate his heart from Henrietta's without hurting her? Sora had given his own heart I order to restore Kairi. He couldn't do that to Henrietta. That would only cause more damage then good. But what could he do? How could he separate Wales's heart from Henrietta's?

A sudden blast from his right caused his eyes to widen. Louise's had just blown up another dusk with her explosion spell. He stared at her for the longest time.

"Being able to separate a heart without hurting the other person. Just like how I was separated from Sora without him being hurt." Roxas pondered. Suddenly, Roxas felt another tug on his keyblade, just like how he felt when Louise had shown him the prayer book. This time, he was not going to resist. He allowed the keyblade to aim itself at Louise.

"Louise!" Roxas called, getting the girls attention. Her eyes widened a bit when she saw Roxas's keyblade aimed at her.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Louise! Do you trust me?"

Louise raised an eyebrow in confusion as she turned to him. "What are you talking about?"

"My keyblade is responding. I think that means there is another spell you need to use right now."

Louise looked at him like he was crazy. "Another spell!?" She exclaimed.

Roxas nodded. "You remember the battle at Tarbes, when I unlocked your light magic?" He said, before his eyes widened. "Louise, behind you!"

Louise whirled around to see a dusk that had just launched at attack at her. It nearly landed before a pair of jaws came down on the dusk, completely crushing it. Louise looked up at Sylphid, who had just saved her life. The dragon then turned and swung its tale at another dusk, before a sniper shot it out of the air.

"Yes I remember!" Louise shouted as she turned to Roxas. "Just get on with it? What do I need to do?"

Roxas nodded as he felt his keyblade begin to charge. "I need you to direct your next attack at the Queen."

"…"

"ARE YOU INSAINE!?" Louise screamed. "That's the queen! What if I kill her?" Louise finished, remembering what her last big spell did to the battleships of Tristan after Roxas unlocked her light magic.

"I know but please!" Roxas begged. "Trust me!"

Louise grinded her teeth together as she battled internally with herself. She knew that Roxas wouldn't say something like this unless he had an extremely good reason for it. She was extremely reluctant though. This was asking a lot of her, to trust him and direct her light magic at her best friend. The same light magic that annihilated the masses of heartless and the Albion battle ship.

Suddenly, Roxas heard a small movement behind him. He ducked, only to see a Dusk strike where his head used to be. He swung his keyblade upwards and destroyed it completely before he turned back to Louise.

"Louise, HURRY!" Roxas said as he dodged another oncoming Dusk. He waved his hand as a couple samurai appeared through silver portals and dispatched an oncoming group of dusks.

Louise grit her teeth before she drew her wand. "I swear Roxas, if something happens to the Queen, I will MURDER YOU!" She screamed as she pointed her wand at Henrietta.

Roxas nodded as his keyblade began to charge. He noticed that the group of Dusks were sprinting at him, thought his Samurai took cake of the majority of them. The painful thing about the Dusks is that there were so many more of them than of other Nobodies.

It seemed to take eternity, but Roxas finally finished charging the Keyblade's beam. It erupted from the tip before it collided with Louise's chest. With a quick flick of the wrist, he heard a small click before the light died down. He looked at Louise before he saw her go into the same kind of trance she was in when she destroyed the ships of Albion. It was so similar; that he feared it would be the same kind of attack.

She was standing in the same spot, chanting her sell and completely venerable, making her an easy target. A few Dusks came up behind her, ready to attack.

Roxas whirled his keyblade before it collided with the closest Dusk, completely destroying it. He rushed forward and attacked any and all things that tried to interrupt Louise.

Henrietta was still gasping in pain as she clutched her chest with Wales kneeling besides her. She didn't know why her heart was hurting like this, but it was very painful. However she looked up carefully, only to see Roxas fending off a group of Dusks while Louise was chanting a spell. There was one thing that worried her though.

Louise had her wanted pointed straight at her.

"Louise! What are you doing!" she yelled before she gasped in pain again. Her chest felt like it was about to rip open.

Wales looked over at Louise as well before his eyes narrowed. "I will not allow you to interfere, I will regain my heart." He yelled as he shot a gust of wind at her.

"REFLECT!"

The current of wind ricochet off the barrier of light. The barrier exploded, sending any surrounding dusks into he air.

"Wales, whoever told you they would restore your heart lied." Roxas shouted as he stood in front of the chanting Louise.

Wales glared at the Nobody. "How would you know that?"

"Because I know where your heart is."

Wales instantly stopped when he heard that. He stared at Roxas for the longest time. "How would you know where my heart is?"

Slowly, Roxas turned to Henrietta as he heard Louise finish chanting the spell. Her entire being started to glow with a bright light. "Please. Just give us a chance to prove it. As a fellow Nobody, no one can understand more than me your desire for a heart."

Wales stared at Roxas for the longest time before he slowly lowered his wand. He raised his hand, causing the Dusks to halt in there attack. Kirche and Tabitha were both breathing hard after the intense battle with the Dusks. However, they shot a confused look at the silver nobodies, keeping their guard up just in case they tired something.

Roxas also stopped his Snipers and Samurai from attacking anything else.

Wales turned to Henrietta, who was looking at Louise in fear. Louise was glowing brightly, her wand still pointed at her.

"You better know what your doing, Roxas." Wales said with a glare.

It was just a moment later that the entire area was engulfed in an extremely bright light. Everything was consumed to the point where there was no shadows left. Everyone had to shield their eyes from the light as it continued to consume everything around them.

Finally it was all over. The bright light dimmed down before everything was visible again. Louise had collapsed due to the sheer amount of fatigue, but that was not what everyone was focused on. In the middle of the battlefield was a glowing red heart.

Henrietta stared at the object for a while before her eyes widened. Her chest didn't hurt anymore, but he glowing object reminded her of something.

Her eyes widened when she remembered what it was. It as when the same as the young man that warned them of Albion's attacked. She remembered that she saw a heart before he turned into a heartless.

"Is that…Is that my heart?" Henrietta asked fearfully.

"No." Roxas said as he shook his head. He pointed over to Wales. "It's his."

Henrietta's eyes widened as he stared at the heart. "But how? How is it here?"

Roxas gave a soft smile as he remembered the similar scenario with Sora and Kairi. "Do you remember in my story, how Sora was able to revive Kairi?" He asked, causing the queen to look over at him. She didn't nod, but Roxas could tell that she did remember. "Well, it seems that your connection with Wales was what attracted his heart to you. His heart took refuge within yours when he was consumed by the darkness."

Wales stared at the heart, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly ajar. "How…how did you know it would work? How did you know Louise could do this?"

Roxas gave a soft and tired laugh. "Because she was the one that separated me from Sora. She was the one that released my heart from him. So why couldn't she do the same for you?"

Wales cast his gaze to the ground as he clenched his fist. "I-I was once again just played by my enemy, wasn't I? I was about to hand over Henrietta just because they claimed that they could restore my heart. And here it was, right front of me all along." He said as he approached the heart. Slowly, the red object approached the prince before it hovered in front of his chest. "I really owe you a great debt, Roxas." Wales finished as the heart entered his being.

Suddenly, all the emotions the prince longed to feel came rushed back. All the feelings that accompanied his memories filled him, almost like a dam had burst within him.

Gasping, The prince fell to his knees as he clutched his chest.

"Wales!" Henrietta exclaimed as she rushed over to him. She knelt down next to him and placed a careful hand on his shoulder, a bit of hope entering her eyes.

"Henrietta." Wales responded as she looked up at her.

It was that moment that Henrietta's eyes suddenly widened. She could see the emotion behind those eyes once again. She knew that the person she was staring at right now was the one she loved. Suddenly, tears stated to flow down her face again as she wrapped her arm around his neck, nearly chocking him to death.

"Wales! You're back! You're really back this time." She sobbed.

Wales's couldn't help it either. He slowly reached up and wrapped his arms around her back. "I am. I am so sorry for what I put you through."

As Roxas watched the scene, he could not help but breath a sigh of relief. He slowly sat on the wet sand as he glanced around. The dusks had all disappeared through the silver portals. Looking at his own Nobodies, he waved his hand, dismissing them from there duty. They also disappeared in portals of silver.

"Um…"

Roxas looked to his side, noticing Kirche and Tabitha standing there, obviously confused as to what just happened.

"What was that all about? Why is Wales alive?" Kirche asked.

Roxas gave a huge sigh as he closed his eyes. "That is a VERY long story." He responded.

"It does sound interesting though. I swear, nothing is ever boring with you around." Kirche said with a wink.

"True." Was Tabitha's only contribution to the conversation.

"Ugh."

Roxas turned his attention to the girl lying next to him. She slowly sat up while rubbing her eyes. "I swear, everything I do that…" She started before she noticed Wales and Henrietta sitting in the sand, there arms wrapped around each other. "What…what happened?" She asked in confusion.

Roxas shook his head as he rested a hand on her shoulder. "You did it Louise. Well Done."

* * *

"A Hunch! You risked the Queens safety on a HUNCH!" Agnes roared as she stood in front of the group. It was a bit later after the battle that Agnes came bursting through the trees to see Henrietta in the arms of Wales with Roxas and Louise watching from the sideline. She was about to attack the prince at first, but that's when Roxas and Louise came in to save him. After that, they told her what went down.

Needless to say, Agnes was not happy with what they did to save Wales. It wasn't like she understood much of it anyway. But from what she could interoperate, they had risked Henrietta's life on a hunch, and she was not happy about that little fact. Currently, She had her sword pointing at Roxas's neck, her teeth grinding together.

Roxas blinked a few times as he took a few steps away from the angry knight. "It was the only chance we had to stop this fight. It was the only way I could think of to save Henrietta and Wales."

"And what made you come to that conclusion?" Ages responded as she threw another glance at Henrietta and the prince. Henrietta still had her arm around Wales's neck but was looking at her knight, her eyes puffy and red from crying.

"Because…Because…" Roxas started before he gave a sigh. It seemed that Henrietta had forgotten to inform Agnes about anything related to him and the keyblade. Sure, she was there when they had that discussion with Sora and Riku, but she didn't understand half of what they were talking about. And revealing that kind of stuff right now would only arouse more questions. "Please, I had my reasons."

"That's not GOOD ENOUGH!" Ages shouted.

"Agnes, t-that's enough." Henrietta choked out.

"But your majesty, they risked your life for this. What if it didn't work? What is it harmed you somehow?" Ages responded.

"It didn't. And even if I knew the risk, I would have still commanded them to do it." She responded, a firm look in her eyes. "Because they took that risk, Prince Wales is alive."

Agnes looked at the prince again; still unsure as to what she was seeing. "How did he return anyway? You can't just bring someone back to life! You have to explain it to me!"

Henrietta opened her mouth before she closed it again. "Agnes, you will be assigned to Tristan soon. Please wait until then and I am sure Roxas will explain it to you."

"Wait! What?" Roxas exclaimed.

Henrietta turned her attention to him. "Please, I trust Agnes with my life. She is trustworthy enough to know everything." Henrietta said before she gave him a small grin. "Besides, you owe me that much for using me as a guinea pig with no evidence before hand that it would work."

Roxas blinked a few times before he scratched the back of his head. "I guess that's fair."

Henrietta nodded again before she turned her attention to the prince. She bit her lower lip as she looked up at him. "What are you going to do now?"

Wales looked down at her before he gave a sigh.

"Honestly, I-I don't know. I should go back to Albion and try to reclaim the kingdom." He said.

"What!" Henrietta exclaimed as she grasped the front of his shirt. "They will kill you! The entire country has been taken over by Reconquista. If they find out your alive, they will stop at nothing to kill you…again." She said as tears started to stream down her face. "I can't loose you again."

Wales looked down at her for a few moments before he gave a defeated sigh. "Then what should I do? I-I can't just leave my country in the hands of Reconquista."

"For the time being, you should stay with Henrietta." Louise said suddenly.

Everyone turned their attention to her in surprise

"What?"

Louise nodded. "Wait out this war until we defeat Reconquista. After we win this war, the country should be open enough for you to return."

"But how? What would I say if I show up after the war? They will say I betrayed them. There would be no way they would listen to me." Wales said.

"And you think they will listen to you now? Did they even listen to you before? Wales…" Louise started as she approached the Prince. "You were in hiding even before this war started. Reconquista had an iron grip on the country. It was only a matter of time before they killed you."

Wales stared at the girl for a long time. She did have a point. The majority of the country had already supported Reconquista. Wales would have died a long time ago had Wardes not did what he did.

"Wait out this war. Return afterwards. I don't know what you can say that will make them listen to you, but I know you will think of something." Louise said as she bit her lower lip. "I-I never did get to thank you for saving my life that day."

Wales looked down at the petite girl before he gave a warm smile. He reached down at gently cupped her cheek. "There is no need to thank me. After all, you played a major role in my return. So if anyone has a debt of gratitude, it is I." He said before he turned to the Queen. "She does have a point. If I were to return to Albion right now, they would only execute me."

"So…" Henrietta said, her eyes widening a bit.

Wales smiled warmly at her as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "I will stay here and wait out this war for now. It will give me time to find a way to rebuild my country. I have been given a second chance, I cannot waste it this time."

Tears were streaming down Henrietta face again as she launched herself up at the prince. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face towards her. There lips interlocked with each other, not caring about who was watching at the moment. Slowly, Wales wrapped his arms around her lower back as he deepened the kiss.

Everyone who was watching the scene had a red tinge on their faces.

Everyone except for Roxas. Louise had kissed him on the lips before, but it meant nothing like what he was seeing in front of him right now. The sheer amount of emotion shared between the two was nearly alien to the Nobody. Obviously this was more than just friendship.

But if this wasn't friendship, what was it?

 _Love_

Roxas's eyes widened a little as he watched the two break apart from each other. They still gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Again, that look was nearly impossible for the Nobody to comprehend.

However…

After seeing something like this, Roxas wondered if he would ever be able to look at someone like that and fully understand the meaning behind it.

* * *

"So, you're sure you didn't see who it was?" Roxas asked

Wales shook his head. Currently they were sitting around a table back in the castle. Agnes, Henrietta, Roxas, Louise, Wales, Tabitha, and Kirche were all sitting there as Roxas asked a few questions.

"Damn" Roxas cursed as she looked over at the Prince. "Is there anything else you tell me about him?"

Wales thought for a moment. "Well, he was a bit taller than you, he had a very deep voice…" He said before he glanced at Roxas. "And he had the same coat you have on right now."

That little detail caused Roxas's eyes to narrow a bit. He remembered Wales mentioning that before. If whoever this person was bore the hood of the Organization, then whoever manipulated Wales was truly from another world. Could it be a member of the organization like Xigbar or Saix? Or was it Xehanort himself.

"Damn!" Roxas said as he clenched his fist. "And he told you all about me didn't he?"

Wales nodded as he rolled his shoulder. "Yeah, but not everything. He never mentioned how strong you actually were. Just gave me the run down of what you could do. It was actually a lot more painful to fight you than I though." Wales finished as he grinned at the Nobody. "Now that I have my emotions back, I can say that I am surprised to learn about your backstory." He responded as his eyebrows scrunched a little. "You have had it tough, haven't you?"

"We both have." Roxas responded as he stood up. "I think it is time for all of us to get back to the academy."

"Yes, I think so to." Henrietta responded. Everyone at the table stood up. They were all walking to the door before Roxas felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Henrietta standing there, a smile on her face. "Roxas, you have only been here for a short while, but you have done so much for this kingdom. You will never understand how much we appreciate what you have done for us."

Roxas blinked a few times as he scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Well, this is my home. If I can help than I will."

"But you have helped so much more than most would." She said as she approached him. Roxas felt a small peck on his cheek as the Queen moved away.

Roxas slowly brought his hand up to his cheek, a faint blush on his face, however he noticed something. The way she was looking at him was completely different than the way she looked at Wales. This look was something he comprehended quite easily.

Friendship.

Giving a small smile, he nodded to her. "Your welcome. If you ever need me, you know where I will be."

Wales Also approached him, his hand extended. "I am not going to kiss you." He said with a grin.

Roxas gave a small laugh as he shook the prince's hand. But then he looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry I got you killed in the first place."

The prince blinked a few times before he laughed. "You know, if that didn't happen, I would have been killed by Reconquista. There would have been no reviving if that happened. But now I get to be with Henrietta for a while longer. So Roxas…" He said, getting the Nobody to look up at him. He rested a hand on the Nobody's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself anymore."

Roxas paused for a few moments as he absorbed Wales's words. He gave a smile as he turned away form them. "Again, if there is anything you need, you know where I will be." He said, as Agnes escorted him out the door.

Henrietta and Wales watched as they closed the door behind them. "Roxas sure is something." Wales commented.

"He sure is." Henrietta responded, her hand slowly moving towards Wales's. He met her halfway as they interlocked fingers.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Yep. I know a lot of you wanted Henrietta to have a romantic relationship with Roxas, but it would have seemed forced at this point in the story. Besides, a long time ago when I had Wales killed, I planned for his return. But in doing so, I know that If Wales did return, then Roxas would not have a romantic relationship with Henrietta. That was the choice I made when I was editing. Sorry if that bothers anyone. I will want Henrietta to be happy though, and that was a big reason why I had the price stay in Tristan with her. Henrietta and Roxas will be close friends, but it won't go beyond that.**

 **"** **Whew" This chapter was the longest one I have ever written yet. With 15K+ Words, I really had fun with this chapter. Please show me some love if you did like it.**

 **I stretched a lot of logic with Wales's heart resting inside of Henrietta. I pulled from the fact that Ven's heart traveled across worlds to find Sora, so it's not too much of a stretch that Wales's heart found his way to Henrietta since they are lovers.**

 **Also, the part where Wales controlled the Dusks, I will leave it up to you. Should Wales retain that power? Or should he not. Honestly, I think it would be cool. I would use the fact that Wales was a Nobody that had his heart restored, so the nobodies would still listen to him because his nobody form was never destroyed, rather he had his heart return to him. But I will leave it up to you. Roxas still controls the rest of the nobodies however. The Dusks listened to Wales because he was a newer Nobody. He didn't quite have the power to control stronger nobodies like Roxas can.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review if you did and thank you for reading.**

 **Until then!**


	22. Chapter 22: Training

**Authors note: All right guys, we need to chat. Now you are probably wondering why I have not been updating this story. Truthfully, it was because I was getting a little burnt out. Staying this close to cannon really makes writing certain parts really boring, and that's why I had such a hard time trying to get this chapter out.**

 **Also, I was a bit surprised by the comments about last chapter. I don't know what you expect out of this story, but I don't know if I should be flattered, or stressed about the expectations. A lot of you were upset and thought that my reasoning behind Wales's heart residing in Henrietta was lazy. People also were upset because I brought him back and said that by doing so, it hindered the growth of Henrietta in the process. One reviewer even said she was "Mentally unstable, unable to live sanely without wales." I don't know if that was the impression that I gave in this story, but that was definitely not my intention. I am only guessing that whoever said that has not experienced what it is like to lose someone you love with all your heart, or the major temptation of wanting to give up everything to be with them again.**

 **Another complaint I got was the claim that I just brushed Henrietta's actions under the rug and that she had to pay somehow for her actions. I am curious, was there a consequence in the anime besides seeing wales die again? Did Louise or Saito never trust her again, or were they even mad after the fact? No, they were not. So, your reasoning is kinda moot at that point. Besides, Axel tried to kill Roxas remember? Did Roxas even care? No, he did not. They were still friends after that without question.**

 **Lastly, another reviewer said that I killed major plot points from the original anime. You do realize this is a fan fiction, right? Not everything is going to be the same. This is a different story with a different plot, and a different outcome. If you wanted me to do everything the same way as in the anime, then just watch the show and don't read fan fiction, because fan fiction changes things including major plot points and character developments.**

 **Lastly, only one reviewer said this so it's not that big of a deal I guess. But I do know that Moogles say KUPO after like every sentence, but that is just annoying to write repeatedly. So, I don't think I will add it to Suki's dialogue.**

 **Now that I have said that, I am not sure when I will update again. But since I was so far into the editing of this chapter, I didn't want to leave it alone to gather cyber dust. And I didn't just want to leave you all hanging forever with the previous chapter, so I am giving you this one. A lot has happened since I last updated. My last semester of college, graduation, and now starting a new career. I don't know if I will have time to write and post fan fiction as often as I would like. But while it lasted, I have enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for a great ride, but I think this will be my last chapter for a while.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

 **Warning: You know, no matter how many times I say this, there will always be someone who comments on the spelling, so its whatever. I kinda feel like they mention it in reviews just to troll me. It's funny that even a college graduate still has trouble with spelling, but its tough to catch them all when you have over 25 pages to edit.**

* * *

A Heart in the Void

Chapter 22

"You are having the worst streak of bad luck recently Xehanort." Braig commented as he kicked his feet up on the table, resting his hands behind his head in the process.

"I can't disagree with you there. I didn't expect Wales's heart to find its way to Henrietta after he became a nobody."

"Not to mention the pink-haired runt was able to remove Wales's heart from Henrietta's. How did she manage to do that anyway?"

Xehanort rested his chin on his intertwined fingers as he thought for a moment. "The power of light has always been an unpredictable force. Even the door to light holds many mysteries that not even I have discovered."

"Not that you have tried very hard." Braig commented absently.

"You are not incorrect, the light has never interested me." Xehanort replied as he stood up from his seat and walked over to the window.

"Yeah, I noticed. But still, what are we going to do about Roxas and his little nobody army?" Braig asked as he sat up.

A grin formed on Xehanort's face as he turned back to Braig. "It would have been more convenient to have Wales on our side since it would have emotionally destroyed the queen of Tristan, but there are always other options."

Braig narrowed his eyes a bit. "What other optio…" Braig started before he was interrupted by the sound of a door opening behind him.

He turned in his chair to see a person standing there. It took only a second for the former nobody's eyes to light up in recognition. A sinister grin crossed his face as he turned back to Xehanort. "I suppose this was part of your plan as well, you devious bastard." Braig finished, his voice holding a hint of excitement.

Xehanort's grin increased as well.

"Indeed."

* * *

It was a usual morning for Roxas as he exited the academy, heading toward the kitchen for a routine breakfast with the staff. As he walked across the grass, the conversation he had with Suki was playing through his mind again. Turns out, she was not too happy with the way he used the Mega-Elixir. She was not accompanying him at the moment because she said she needed time to think.

* * *

 _Moments earlier_

"You mean to tell me that I SLAVED over a hot cauldron to make that Mega-Elixir and you didn't even use IT!?" Suki shouted as she started smacking Roxas on the top of his head with her paws. "Do you realize how many things I have to synthesize in order to get the correct ingredients for that potion! And you DIDN'T USE IT!"

"It went to a worthy cause." Roxas responded as he raised his hand in defense. "We were able to heal all of the musketeer knights with it."

"But you got hurt!" Suki retorted. "You could have used that Mega-Elixir to heal yourself and Louise."

"Suki, its fine." Roxas pleaded, trying to calm the enraged Moogle down.

"How can you be so calm about this? How is this FINE!? HOW IS ANYTHING FINE!" Suki shouted as she stopped beating on his head. She floated in front of him, her head down a bit. "The Queen was about to betray her country. She attacked you and Louise, trying to kill you even. How can you be ok with that? How can you just let that go?"

Roxas paused as he thought about how to reply. Eventually, he just sighed as he reached up and gently patted the Moogles head. "You just do. What is the point of holding a grudge against her? What good would that do for anyone?"

"But how? If it were me, I would never forgive her for trying to kill me."

Roxas paused again as he gently scratched the top of Suki's head. She did have a point, but it was not like this was a first for Roxas. "You know that I used to be apart of Organization 13, right?"

Suki looked up at him before nodding her head.

"Well, I used to be best friends with a guy named Axel."

"Axel?"

"Yeah." Roxas said as he continued to scratch the top of her head. "When I left Organization 13, Axel was given the task to bring me back…And if he couldn't, he was supposed to kill me. So naturally, he attacked and tried to kill me, even though we were best friends."

Suki didn't respond, but continued to listen.

"But even though we fought and I won, I never held it against him for what he did. Before both of us disappeared, we didn't even mention the fight that happened between us. We just didn't care. There was no point in being angry."

"But-But Henrietta drove ice spikes through your stomach!" Suki countered.

"And Axel nearly burnt me to death." Roxas replied. "Suki, She already apologized for what she did, rather profusely. She knows what she did was wrong, and she feels extremely bad about it. So why should I still be angry with her? What's the point?"

"Well…"

Roxas gave a small sigh as he remembered Henrietta apologizing repeatedly to everyone once she had calmed down enough and finally came to her senses. They could see the guilt and regret on her face when she realized just what she was about to do to them and her country.

"Suki, friends forgive each other for their mistakes. Was there ever a time where you made a mistake and wanted forgiveness? How would you feel if they decided to not grant you that?"

Suki didn't respond as she lowered her head again.

"Like I said, holding a grudge doesn't accomplish anything. It only causes more pain for everyone."

"I-I guess." Suki replied as she slowly floated away from him before landing gently on the bed. "Go on ahead without me. I have a few things I need to think about. But you still owe me for that potion! It wasn't easy to make mind you."

Roxas gave her a soft smile as he turned to exit the room. "Yeah Yeah. I owe you one Suki." He said before he closed the door behind him.

"Still…" Suki mused as she heard Roxas close the door. She adopted a thinking pose. "That name…Axel…why does it sound so familiar?"

* * *

 _Now_

Roxas shook his head as he approached the kitchen. Suki really did bring up some really good points. He had every right to be angry with Henrietta. He trusted her, Louise trusted her, yet the Queen was nearly threw that all away for the chance to be with Wales again.

He should be angry…But like he told Suki, what would be the point? Taking a page out of Sora's book, even before Riku was possessed, he tired to kill Sora. If goofy hadn't been there, Sora would have lost his heart. But despite everything Riku did, Sora never held it against him. He looked all over the cosmos for his friends and even shed tears when they were finally reunited.

Would it have been better if Sora had hated Riku and chose never to forgive him? Would that have come to a better conclusion?

Nope!

Not once did Sora mention what Riku did, nor was he ever mad at him for the path he chose to follow. So if Sora could forgive like that, then why couldn't Roxas?

He was Sora's nobody after all.

* * *

It was the end of another day at Tristan academy of magic. And per usual, Roxas was sitting at his spot on the edge of the tower, watching the sunset. The only difference this time was a blue ice cream bar in his right hand. Taking a moment to glance down at the cold dessert, he slowly brought it up to his mouth before taking a bite.

"Ugh!" he groaned as he forcefully swallowed. Marteau was still a bit off from the nostalgic flavor he longed for. "What do you think Sylphid?" Roxas asked as he raised the ice cream above his head.

The dragon, which was currently curled around him and Tabitha, slowly lifted her head and chomped the entire bar in one bite. She chewed for a second before cringing as well. She shook her head before laying it down back on the stone floor.

Roxas chuckled a bit as he turned back to the sunset. "My thoughts exactly." He said before he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder. Glancing down, he noticed Tabitha leaning her head against him, her book propped open in her lap. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply, signifying that she had fallen asleep.

Roxas felt a blush dust his cheeks as he gave a small smile, turning back to the sunset. He didn't mine it. The silence was a welcoming way to wind down for the day. Though it seemed as the days progressed, Tabitha's personal bubble seemed to be shrinking. Before the battle at Tarbes, she always kept her distance and felt a little standoffish. She still didn't say much, but that was just part of who she was. It wasn't much of a problem though because he could usually figure out what she was saying with just a few words.

Sylphid on the other hand didn't have any problem sharing how she felt both physically and verbally. She still found great joy in attempting to maul him over every time they saw each other, whether she was in human form or not.

She kept her human form to a minimum though, reserving it for occasions when it was just her, Roxas, and Tabitha. Roxas had no idea where the dragoness got all her energy. However, despite her rough welcoming technique, it was still fun to play her game every once in a while. Sure he could use his more speedy techniques in order to escape her.

But what was the fun in that?

Slowly, Roxas closed his eyes as he let the last moments of the sun warm his skin. It was times like these he was grateful he had the chance to exist.

"Roxas, would you give me a hand?" Louise asked as she held out a basket of laundry.

Roxas crossed his arms as he stared at the heaping pile of dirty cloths. "Can it wait? Today is when most of the boys are being recruited off to the war. That includes Guiche as well, right?"

"Yeah… and?"

"I wanted to see him off."

Louise mulled it over in her head for a few seconds before she gave a reluctant sigh. "I guess that is acceptable. I will join you then. Despite him being a womanizing pervert, he did help us a lot in the past."

"Yes, I remember. That particular past event still gives me nightmares to this day." Roxas said flatly.

Louise face turned a shade of red before she rushed over to him. "Never speak of it! Ever! That never happened!" She screeched, flailing her arms at him.

Roxas chuckled as he turned and exited the room, a fuming Louise right behind him. Louise was just too easy to mess with. Even though she never attempted to whip him, starve him, or abuse him anymore, she was still a bit haughty about most things. Which made it a very simple task to get her riled up.

And Roxas wasn't the only one who liked to mess with Louise.

"Oh, hello Zero. Blow anything up lately?"

Louise's eyebrow twitched as she turned her attention to another figure standing in the hallway with her arms crossed under her sizeable bosom.

"Zerbst." Louise responded coolly. "You look like you are due for another milking at the local farm". She said as she turned and began to walk away.

Kirche still had a smile on her face, but her eyebrow was twitching slightly. She quickly walked up to them before she wrapped one of her arms around Louise's neck and pulled her face into her ample chest. "Wow, I am impressed. How long were you practicing that comeback?"

Louise flailed her arms before she shoved Kirche away. "Are you trying to kill me with those, you cow!"

Kirche giggled, ignoring Louise's comment before she turned to Roxas. "Where are you two headed?"

Roxas had to chuckle at there antics. Those two had never changed. They still had their rivalry, but it was always just friendly banter.

…

Actually, considering the sparks that would fly between them sometimes, he would question that.

"We are about to see Guiche off. He is leaving today."

"Oh, that's right, most of the boys will be leaving today." She said before a grin formed on her face. "You are about to be the only boy in a school full of girls. Does that excite you Roxas?" Kirche asked as she wiggled her eyebrow.

Roxas blinked a few times. "Um…Why?"

Now it was Kirche's turn to blink before he remembered a particular detail about Roxas. It nearly caused her to face palm. "Right, Right. I keep forgetting." She said as they all started to make there way down the hallway and towards the courtyard. "Being what you are, you really take all the fun out of trying to embarrass you."

"Why's that?" Roxas responded.

"It's nothing." Louise quickly said, cutting Kirche off from what she was about to say next.

Roxas glanced at them before shrugging. Girls were weird.

Kirche seemed to get the hint as she laughed softly. She decided to change the subject. "You know, since it is the last day for most of the boy's here, I actually heard that Guiche was going to spend it with Montmorency."

"Really? How are they doing by the way?" Asked Louise.

"There relationship is steadily improving. However, Guiche is still a skirt chaser, so Montmorency is trying to beat that out of him…both physically and verbally."

Louise gave a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "He never learns, does he?"

"Nope! But I can't help but worry a bit. This is war, and he could end up…" Kirche said before she went silent.

"I'm not that worried." Roxas said as they walked out onto the grass.

Kirche and Louise glanced at each other before turning to him. "Your not?"

"Guiche is strong when he needs to be."

Thinking about it for a few seconds, they realized Roxas was correct. Usually, Guiche was a carefree boy who loved to chase after girls a bit too much, but occasionally, his serious side would emerge and he would surprise them.

Once they reached the courtyard where everyone was, Roxas noticed that they were not the only ones seeing people off. There were a lot of boys that were saying their goodbyes to their loved ones. It was a really depressing atmosphere.

Roxas looked around until he spotted Guiche and Montmorency standing in the midst of everyone. He, Louise, and Kirche all made there way towards them.

"Guiche, I am going to miss you. Please be careful." Montmorency said as she gave Guiche a small hug.

"Well, if I do parish away, it will be defending my country. If I die for the sake of Honor, I will be fine with that."

"…"

That single sentence caused Roxas to halt in his tracks. What in the world was he saying? Why would someone die for the sake of honor? Did he really say that, or was Roxas just imagining it?

"Guiche." Roxas called as he raised his hand in greeting.

Guiche and Montmorency looked over at the approaching trio.

"Roxas, Louise, and Kirche. What are you doing here?"

"Just seeing off a friend." Roxas replied.

Guiche gave a smile as he dramatically flipped his hair. "Well, I do appreciate it." He said as he turned to Louise and Kirche. "And I suspect the Lovely maidens are bidding farewell to there knight as well?"

Both Louise and Kirche gave him a flat look before they waved their hands. "Not at all." They said in unison.

Guiche dramatically fell to the ground, a storm cloud forming over his head.

Montmorency's eyebrow was twitching uncontrollable at his antics. "I swear Guiche, if the war does not kill you, then I will." She said as she crossed her arms.

Guiche looked up at her, his eyes widening with over dramatic tears falling down his cheeks. "Montmorency!"

Roxas watched the scene obliviously before he opened his mouth. However, before he could say anything, he felt two pairs of hands grasp his arms and start to drag him away.

"Just leave them Roxas. Its best not to get involved." Louise said as she and Kirche continued to drag him across the courtyard.

"I agree, just let Montmorency work her magic on the wayward boy. We don't want you picking up any habits form him." Kirche responded with a satisfied smile.

Roxas blinked as he felt them continue to pull him away. "Whatever you say." He responded as he absently looked into the sky. He frowned a little as something in the distant caught his eye. A small object that was heading straight forwards them. He nodded towards it with his chin since his hands were preoccupied. "There is something coming towards us.

Louise and Kirche stopped dragging him for a moment before they turned their gaze towards the sky. That's when they saw it as well.

A dragon.

And not only any dragon, a white wind dragon with someone riding on its back. The massive creature continued to approach before it finally was close enough to land. Now that it was on the ground, everyone got a good look at who was riding the magnificent beast. If Roxas had to compare this person to someone, it would have been Guiche. He had blond, almost platinum hair; his eyes were two different colors, and his clothing were as extravagant as the rest of the nobles he had come across. If you replaced the amount of dramatic atmosphere that Guiche had to one of confidence, you would have the countenance of this person.

As soon as the dragon landed, the man leaped off and stood straight, looking at the surrounding people with a small grin on his face.

The entire courtyard was silent for a few moments before it erupted with activity. Most of the female population squealed in delight, raving about his attire and attractiveness. Most of the girls went as far as abandoning the boys they were seeing off in favor of this new knight in shining armor.

Roxas blinked in confusion at the sudden change in atmosphere before he looked around at Kirche and Louise. They both supported a healthy blush on there cheeks as they saw this new boy.

Kirche suddenly dropped his arm, nearly causing the Nobody to fall to the ground, before she clasped her hands under her bosom, hearts in her eyes. "Oh, who is this handsome new stranger."

The young man suddenly turned his attention towards Roxas and his party before his confident grin grew a little. He elegantly made his way over to them, stopping when he was within a few feet.

"My name is Julio Cease, pleased to meet you." He said with a small bow.

Roxas blinked a few times before he scratched the back of his head. "Roxas."

"Yes, I am well aware." Julio said as he turned his attention to Louise and Kirche. "And may I have the names of you two lovely ladies as well."

Kirche grinned as she flipped her hair to the side, pushing out her chest just a little to increase her own sex appeal. "My name is Kirche von Zerbst."

"Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière." Louise responded quietly, her face growing a bit hotter under his piercing gaze.

Julio gave another smile before he turned away from them. "I am pleased to meet your acquaintance. I have transferred here from Romalia under the direction of the pope. I look forward to studying with you all." He said before he started to walk off.

"Wait, where are you going?" Kirche called out.

Julio laughed softly as he turned to them. "To class of course. Classes are about to start if I am not mistaken."

Louise and Kirche blinked a few times before they realized he was right. Quickly grabbing Roxas by the arms again, they dragged him after Julio as they made their way to there next class.

"Hmmm" Roxas hummed in thought as they made there way to the classroom. "Why did he seem to know who I was?" he muttered quietly.

"You say something?" Louse asked, glancing back at her familiar.

"No, nothing." Roxas responded as he stared at Julio's back, wondering why he seemed to know him, even though Roxas had never met him before.

* * *

It wasn't moments later that Roxas found himself sitting in the classroom again. The only difference was that there was a severe lack of males…and the fact that nearly all the girls in the room were staring at Julio for some reason. Occasionally, a creepy sigh or even a moan would pass through the classroom.

If Roxas were in that boys shoes, he would have found it very awkward, but Julio was taking it like a champ, calmly sitting there taking notes as Professor Colbert rambled off about some topic. His face was unchanging, still supporting the same confident grin he had when Roxas first saw him.

Only a couple girls were actually paying attention to the lesson, one of them being Tabitha, who was calmly taking notes. She was sitting at Roxas's right while Louise sat on his left, also taking notes while trying to ignore Kirche as she gushed over the new student.

Professor Colbert also seemed to notice the major distraction as indicated by his slightly twitching eyebrow. The entire lesson went on like this. Occasionally, professor Colbert attempted to get everyone's attention, but it was always drawn back to Julio after a few seconds. Roxas had to feel sorry for the old professor after another few failed attempts.

The lesson was going fine until the door suddenly slammed open, causing everyone to either jump a bit, or tare there attention away from Julio to see what the disturbance was. There was a line of musketeers that suddenly entered the room followed closely by a very stern, but familiar face.

"Agnes?" Roxas commented out loud.

Just as he said, Agnes was standing in the doorway of the classroom, a sour expression on her face. From the looks of it, she really didn't want to be here. She continued to look around the room before her gaze fell on Roxas and Louise. She gave an extremely brief smile before her steel expression took over.

"Alright, class if over." She barked as she moved forward. "We have been assigned here by the queen to prepare you for War. Everyone out on the courtyard."

All the mages looked around in uncertainty at the sudden orders. Whispers began to flow through the classroom from curious student.

Seeing the lack of response, Agnes growled a little. "Didn't you hear me? MOVE!" she barked, causing a few students to jump a bit before standing from their seats.

Colbert frowned when he saw this. "Everyone stay in your seats." He said before he turned to Agnes. He gave her a very stern stare. "I will not have you bringing war into my class Agnes."

Agnes narrowed her eyes a bit before she gave him a confident smile. "Is that so?" She said before she quickly drew her sword, resting the point right under his chin. "We are in the middle of war. We need every hand available. I hate mages with a passion, especially ones that use fire. This is an order from the Queen, so if you get in my way…" She left that threat hanging in the air.

"Agnes, that's enough."

Agnes felt a small chill go down her spine as she felt the tip of cold steal against her back. She looked over her shoulder to see a familiar mop of spikey blond hair. Roxas was standing there with the tip of the oblivion resting against her spine.

The moment that Agnes had drawn her sword and laid it to rest under Colbert's neck, he made his move. He didn't know why Agnes was acting this way, but she was taking this too far. What did a harmless man like Colbert do to her anyway? Was she really going to attack him?

He wasn't going to just stand there and watch if that was the case.

"How dare you threaten Agnes!" One of the musketeers said as she drew her sword. The rest of the Musketeers followed suit.

"Stand down." Agnes said as she lowered her sword from Professor Colbert's throat, causing the man to take a few steps back and nearly collapse. She then turned to Roxas, who still had a small glare on his face. She knew if Roxas were serious, her musketeers wouldn't last a few minutes against him. "Calm down Roxas, I am making a point."

Roxas narrowed his eyes at her as he slowly lowered his keyblade. He saw Professor Colbert breath a sigh of relief as he gently stroked his neck.

Agnes turned to the class again before her eyes narrowed. "What are you waiting for? Out on the courtyard NOW!" she barked, causing the rest of the students to quickly stand and make there way out of the classroom.

Roxas stood where he was as he watched the students vacate the room. He turned to Agnes again, a small frown on his face.

"Agnes, did you really have to threaten him? Isn't raising your sword taking it a bit far?"

"Don't tell me how to do my Job Roxas." Agnes said sternly before she turned and walked out the door, the rest of the musketeer knights following alone, but not before throwing a dirty look in Roxas's direction before walking through the doorway.

It wasn't long before all of the students were standing on the academy grounds, the hot sun beating down on them. Each of the students were given a long staff and ordered to stand in rows. Agnes gave a small demonstration of what they would be practicing before she commanded them to start the drills.

There were a couple students that thought this was a waste of time, that magic could triumph over physical combat any day. However, they were quickly silenced by Agnes when she easily disarmed one and showed them how useless they were without there wands.

Roxas had to admit that Agnes had a point. While magic was useful, there were times when it was useless against certain opponents. During his time in the organization, he knew that there were times that he could only use malay damage against certain heartless. In all honesty, he preferred malay over magic anyway because there were always counters to magic, but rarely had he come across someone who could match him in a physical fight.

Speaking of which, now that there weren't any more classes, Roxas decided that now would be a good time to continue his own training regiment. He still had his special place outside of the academy, next to the stream of water. It was the perfect place to practice without anyone getting hurt. With that in mind, Roxas turned and started to walk away from the group of students and knights.

"And where do you think you are going?"

Roxas blinked a few times as he turned to the voice. He recognized her as a member of the musketeer knights. He had seen her hanging around Agnes almost every time he had a run in with them.

"What do you want?" Roxas asked.

"Everyone is doing drills, why are you just standing here, lazing about?"

Roxas gave her a flat look. "I am doing my own training." Roxas said as he glanced over at the mages. It was almost comical at how silly they all looked. It was obvious that most of them had never held a weapon in their entire lives. Training like this would prove no benefit to him.

"You think your training is better than ours?" She challenged.

"Yes." Roxas replied without missing a beat.

The musketeer knight grit her teeth in annoyance as she held out a wooden sword. "Really? Then why don't you have a spar with me? I've heard about you. They say you're the reason we won the battle at Tarbes, that you can take on any mage that comes your way. Show me that the rumors are true, that you're not just some brat that has the right to disrespect and threaten Agnes. Show me that you can fight without the extra power of those strange weapons."

Roxas's eye twitched a bit in annoyance. Did she forget that Agnes threatened Colbert, or were they just looking for a reason to fight? He watched as the knight threw him the sword before he quickly snatched it out of the air. He glanced down at the rough weapon in his hand. Did this girl really think his power came from the keyblade alone?

Gripping the handle of the wooden sword, Roxas got in his single-keyblade stance. If she wanted a spar? Fine, he would humor the woman.

The musketeer also got into a rough stance before she quickly rushed forward, brining the sword above her head. Quickly, Roxas brought the wooden sword upward, deflecting the other weapon quite easily. However, Roxas pushed up with an impressive amount of strength, throwing the musketeer knight off balance. She stumbled a backwards a little, but Roxas was never one to let an opening go. He rushed forward and swung his weapon, aiming at her exposed ribs before she could even react.

However, she was a bit more agile that he gave her credit for. Even being off balanced, she backpedaled a bit, dodging his attack in the process. However, this caused her to completely lost her balance. The result was her falling flat on her ass.

Roxas almost wanted to pity this woman because she didn't seem to know the first thing about keeping her balance when fighting. If a heartless saw her on her butt, it would not have hesitated to devour her then and there. A heartless took any opening it could get, exploited any weakness shown, and destroyed anything it could get its hands on. He had learned that and fought against those creatures all his life.

The woman scrambled to her feet, her eyes full of anger and humiliation. However, even though he wanted to pity her, he simply did not. Giving a sigh, he decided to end this quickly. It was a complete waste of time. Crouching down, Roxas got ready to attack.

Seeing this, the musketeer readied herself, preparing for whatever he had up his sleeve.

However, anything she did could not prepare her for what would happen.

Roxas took off, using his light dash to increase his speed. The poor musketeer didn't even know how to react as Roxas swung the wooden sword. It collided with her sword, but the force of the blow caused the feeble blade to shatter into splinters of wood. The musketeer was thrown off her feet before she landed on her back, the remains of the wooden sword flying from her grasp.

The musketeer felt her hands shaking because of the force of the blow. She could only look up to see the splintered end of Roxas's own wooden sword pointing down on her. Her eyes trailed up the broken weapon until they reached his eyes. That's when she saw it.

The power that was behind those eyes.

He had experienced battle, much more that she had. The power he had didn't not just come from his strange weapons.

"My Keyblades may be powerful, but just like every other weapon, I have struggled to master it. I have been fighting with everything on the line for my entire life. The power I posses comes from the experience I have gained from battle. That is what makes me strong, not the power of my weapon." Roxas said as he dropped the wooden sword, causing it to land next to the stunned knight.

Roxas turned to walk away, clearly annoyed at the completely pointless battle. However, he noticed that the little duel had attracted the attention of most of the students. They had stopped the drill and where staring at Roxas in awe. For most of them, this was one of the few times they have seen Roxas fight and it was unlike anything they had ever seen before. He gave a small blush of embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head, turning away from the attention.

Agnes had also watched the quick duel. She had heard rumors of Roxas and how he fought, but never really witnessed it up close and personal before. From what she could see, the rumors were justified. The duel between Roxas and one of her trained knights lasted all but a few seconds.

Shaking her head, Agnes looked down at her knight. The defeated warrior was slowly standing o her feet, a disbelieving look on her face. "I hope you learned not to underestimate your opponent, Michelle."

Michelle bit the inside of her cheek as she looked down in shame. "I have a lot to learn I guess."

"Well said. Take this loss and learn from it. Let it make you stronger." Agnes said as she turned to Roxas, only to find him walking away again. "Where are you going Roxas?"

Roxas gave another sigh, as he turned to them again. "I have my own training to do. Since there are no more classes, I guess I can get started sooner."

"Then stay here and train. We could learn a thing or two by watching."

Roxas glanced back at the students, who had continued their flimsy drills. He shook his head.

"I would rather not anyone get hurt."

Agnes and Michelle blinked a few times. "What do you mean?"

"Lets just say others might get hurt if I train around them." Roxas said.

"So you're saying that your training may endanger the safety of others? That sounds pretty farfetched if you ask me." Michelle said, still a bit butt hurt by her complete defeat at Roxas's hand.

"I really don't care what you think." Roxas responded, causing the woman to growl.

"But still, that does sound impressive. It must be a difficult and dangerous training regimen if it even dangers other people." A new voice said.

Roxas turned to see the new student, Julio, approaching with the staff in his hand. He stopped within a few feet with a hand on his hip, a confident grin on his face. "Based on your impressive display, I can tell you are very strong. I would be interested in testing my own strength against you, if you would not be opposed."

Roxas stared at the boy for a few seconds before he shrugged. "Sure, why not." Roxas said "You have another sword?"

Julio held up both his hand in defense. "Oh, no. Not right now. How about tomorrow afternoon? I am a little tired from the drills today."

Roxas raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the other students who were still completing the drills. They had just started and he was already tired? If that was the case, Roxas didn't have that high of an expectation for this fight.

Never the less, Roxas nodded to Julio. "Sure I guess. I don't have anything else I need to do."

"Excellent. How about we make this interesting…" Julio said as he closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. He waited for Roxas's response, but didn't hear anything. Slowly, he opened his eyes, only to notice that no one was standing in front of him. "Um…Where did he go?"

"Oh, he already walked off." Agnes said, slightly amused by the dejected look on Julio's face.

"Well." Julio said as he regains his composure. "Anyway, should we continue?"

Agnes shook her head as she started barking at the students again.

* * *

"What kind of effort is that?!" Agnes barked, shaking up a few students in the process. It had been about an hour before the mages of Tristian were already exhausted from the drills. It was rather pathetic in Agnes's opinion. "And you are supposed to be the chosen ones of Brimir?"

A few students grumbled as they pushed themselves back to there feet to continue. However, a majority of them continued to complain about being tired and sore.

Agnes snorted in distaste as she heard the complaints. "You are all pathetic. We are done for today. Make sure you rest up because today I was going easy on you. Tomorrow we will start the real drills."

Most of the Nobles' faces went pale at hearing that. A few others grumbled, but silently left the courtyard, retreating back into the academy. Agnes gave a frustrated sigh as she watched them leave. She knew that her patience would be tried when she was given this task by the queen, but seeing them complain was really starting to irritate her. People were dying for Tristan on the battlefield, but here these mages were, complaining about a couple combat drills.

Agnes was about to retreat to her room as well, but then a thought struck her. She turned her attention to the direction where Roxas had disappeared to, her mind growing more and more curious about what kind of training he would do.

"Michelle" Agnes said, getting the woman's attention. "Go on without me. I need to check on something."

Michelle stared at her leader for a few seconds before she shrugged. She turned and walked away into the academy.

Agnes then started to make her way in the direction where she saw Roxas walk off to. It wasn't a few moments later that she found herself outside of the academy walls, looking around for any signs of where he may have gone.

It didn't take her long though to spot something in the distance. However, when she approached, her eyes widened a bit. Her suspicions were correct when she thought it was Roxas, but he wasn't the only one there. He was standing on the ground, the oblivion in one hand and the oathkeeper in the other, surrounded by the very same creatures that had supported them in the battle against Albion. They surrounded him like some kind of dome, aiming their strange weapons at him, almost like they were going to…

"Again!" Roxas said. Agnes's eyes widened when the creatures weapons started to glow. There was nothing she could do as a hail of projectiles rained down on Roxas like some kind of deadly storm. She thought that this was the end for the boy. There was nobody that would be able to survive an attack as condensed as this.

Then it happened.

Agnes could not describe what she was seeing with words when Roxas made his move. He suddenly just burst into action, swinging his keyblades like they were made of nothing, deflecting every and all projectiles that were heading in his direction. He was not standing still though. He was jumping around, flipping from side to side as he dodged the few projectiles his keyblades didn't hit.

The creatures didn't stop firing either. They continued to hail down projectiles while Roxas continued to deflect them at lightning speed.

However, even in her stupor, Agnes could tell Roxas was getting tired. He had forgone the coat and was wearing regular black pants, his black gloves, and a black shirt as well. Sweat was pouring down his face, signifying that this was not the first time he had done this insane drill today.

Just as him movements started to slow down, Agnes heard him say something else.

"Drive, Valor."

If Agnes thought she could not be even more surprised, she was sorely mistaken. Roxas's dark clothing flashed for a moment before they turned a dark red. His speed doubled, making it look like he was just a red blur in the midst of the barrage of bullets.

However, the insanity only lasted a few seconds. His cloths suddenly returned to there usual black before he crashed to the ground, completely exhausted. Agnes nearly panicked, thinking that Roxas wouldn't be able to survive being hit with that many projectiles, but then she noticed that the rain of bullets had stopped. She glanced at the creatures that were surrounding him, noticing that they were not firing anymore. They were just floating in the air, looking down at him.

Roxas was lying on his front, the only indication he was still conscious was the sound of his gasping breath.

Agnes could not help but stare down at him, her mouth slightly ajar. She had never seen an exercise as brutal at this one before. One slip up, one mistake could cost him dearly. Looking around, she noticed the area was littered with the energy arrows. However, they disappeared only moments later. She could now understand what he meant by endangering the safety of others with his training. Luckily, she was standing far enough away that none of the deflected projectiles hand come near her.

Roxas lay there on the ground, trying to catch his breath. "Damn." He cursed as he shakily pushed himself to his knees. "Still cant hold the drive for more that a few moments."

Closing his eyes, he grunted as he tried to push himself to his feet. His legs and arms felt like wet noodles. His lungs were on fire and his entire body was drenched in sweat. He had been doing this for over an hour now and it was exhausting. It was nice to have his nobodies help out with his training though.

Looking up, Roxas raised his eyebrows as he finally noticed Agnes standing there, staring at him with her eyes wide. They stared awkwardly at each other for a few moments before Roxas roughly pushed himself to his feet, though he was still a bit wobbly.

"Did you…need something…Agnes?" He asked between gasps.

Agnes was shaken from her stupor by his voice. She blinked a few times before she coughed into her hand. "No, its nothing." She responded as she watched him make his way over to the small stream, the creatures parting the way for him. Without any hesitation, he dunked his entire head beneath the surface. Raising his head again, he shook the water out of his hair, allowing the cool liquid to cool down his body.

Agnes watched in fascination before she cautiously walked forward. She kept an eye on the strange creatures flying around. They didn't even look at her, just hovered in the air as if they were waiting for a command.

Roxas turned toward her again before he noticed her staring at them. He waved his hand. "You can go now. Thanks for your help."

Agnes blinked a few times, thinking he was talking to her, but then noticed that the Nobodies disappeared in flashes of silver.

Looking over at Roxas, she watched as he ran his hand through his damp hair, only for it to spike right back up into its usual style. Turning his attention back to Agnes, he raised his eyebrow. She had not said more that a few words since he noticed her standing there. She was also staring at him intensely. Truthfully, it was starting to creep in out.

"Um, Agnes? Hello!" Roxas said, waving his hand through the air.

Agnes quickly recovered her composure before she coughed in her hand. "What kind of training was that?" Agnes quickly asked as she took a couple steps forward. "Is it usual to endanger your life for the sake of training?"

Roxas was silent for a few moments before he sat down next to the stream. "Sort of." He said awkwardly, remembering his training at the organization. The very first day he was part the organization, they jumped him straight into fighting heartless. So yeah, he was use to it. "It wasn't enough. You remember Sora and Riku, Right?"

Agnes nodded as she took a couple more steps closer. She sat down on the bank next to him.

"Well, without even seeing it before, they managed to deflect a hail of projectiles like that without even getting hurt. They are just that strong. And their enemy was powerful as well. If I am to match their strength, I have to do it as well."

Agnes blinked a few times before her eyes widened. "Those two were that powerful? Who were they? Where did they come from anyway?"

"Its difficult to explain."

"Try me." Agnes said flatly. "Ever since you appeared, it's just been one question after another. Even Queen Henrietta seems to know about you and refuses to tell me."

Roxas looked over at her with a small smile. "She respects that I don't like talking about it. I know it must be confusing and I'm sorry about that."

Agnes gave a sigh as she looked over at the water. "Everyone has secrets they don't want to share…I guess."

Roxas looked over at her, his eyebrow raised. "You sound like you speak from experience."

Agnes gave him a small grin. "No prying into my personal life Roxas. Unless…" She started as she stood from her spot. "Unless you share something about yourself. We may call it even."

Roxas chuckled a bit. "My story is a very long one. As you have probably already guessed, I have told my friends already. And Louise told the Queen about it. Its…difficult to put it into words."

"Well…" Agnes said as she suddenly drew her sword. "While you think about it, why don't we have a small spare?"

Roxas raised his eyebrow. "You want to fight me?"

"I do. I heard that you even outclassed Wardes in swordplay. Practicing with wood swords is helpful, but its nothing compared to fighting with the real thing. I figured since you are so good, I would be able to get some real practice in."

Roxas looked at her flatly. "You do realize I am exhausted right now."

"Then I may have more of a chance. Your not scared are you?" Agnes taunted, a grin on her face.

"Get Real!" Roxas shot back, the oblivion appearing in his right hand. He got down in his signature stance.

Agnes stared at him for a while before she lowered her sword a bit. "Why do you train so hard Roxas? Why do you want to get stronger?"

Roxas blinked again at the sudden question. He wasn't stumped however. He knew the answer right away. Giving a sigh, he looked Agnes straight in the eyes.

"I started with nothing. I was an empty shell that would have been better not existing. I had no purpose, no desires, no goals. I was simply there." He started as he looked to the ground. "I blindly followed orders because there was nothing else for me to do. I worked towards a goal that I didn't even care about."

Agnes was listening intently, absorbing all this information like a sponge.

"Then I met a few people who saw past the empty shell that I was. They gave me a reason to want to exist. They were my friends." He continued before he grit his teeth. "But then they were taken away from me. They were all I cared about, and I lost them." He turned looked up at Agnes. "The reason I want to get stronger is so I can protect the people I care about here. I never want to experience that kind of loss…that kind of pain ever again. I want to protect my friends."

Agnes was staring at him intently. The sheer intensity of his gaze spoke volumes to her. She could tell he was not lying.

"To protect the people you love." Agnes mused as she gripped her sword. "And what about revenge? What about killing the person who took your friends from you?"

Agnes expected Roxas to be a bit puzzled from her question, but instead, he gave a bitter laugh. "You know, I tried that already. After Xion died…" Roxas started. Agnes kept a mental note of that name for later. "I tried to go after the person who took her away…Or…Rather forced me to kill her myself."

Agnes looked at the nobody in horror. She didn't expect this at all. "He forced you to kill her?"

"In a way." Roxas said, careful not to go onto much more detail. "I was determined to bring him and the rest of his organization down. But I was stopped." He gave another bitter laugh. "Because I wanted to get revenge, I only experience more pain." Roxas finished, remembering his time he spent with Hayner, Pence, and Olette, only to realize that those memories weren't actually real. That they didn't even know who he was.

"So your attempt at revenge only bough you pain in the end."

Roxas nodded as he got back into his stance. "Are we doing this or not?"

Agnes grinned a bit as she raised her sword. "Yes. You have peaked my curiosity. I would like to know your story."

Roxas grinned. "Remember what you said though. You have say something about yourself as well."

Agnes chuckled. "It seems the tables have turned a bit." She said before she suddenly charged forward, swinging it high above her head before she brought it down on him.

Roxas simply sidestepped the sword, but Agnes was quick to swing again, this time from the side. Roxas summoned the Keyblade and raised it, deflecting her sword before he shoved her away with his body. She gave a small grin as she got ready again.

"This is going to be fun." Agnes said.

* * *

Roxas and Agnes clashed blades for about 30 minutes, neither of them giving away any ground. Agnes was mostly on the offensive, trying to find any opening in his defense, but Roxas wasn't moving. Not only was he extremely fast, but also his strength was unreal. Her hands were already shaking from striking his keyblades over and over again. It was like she was trying to strike a brick wall.

Roxas had to admit. He was impressed with her swordplay. She was easily better than Wardes when it came to swords. If she had magic in her arsenal, she would be a devastating force on this planet.

However…

Her biggest problem was that she choreographed her fighting style, making it really easy to tell where she was going to attack. After facing Heartless, and their incredibly unpredictable attacks, it was easy for him to see where Agnes was going to attack from next.

It wasn't moments later that Agnes finally stopped attacking. She dug her sword into the ground, leaning on it while she tried to get her breath back. She looked up at him in frustration, seeing that he wasn't really breathing that heavily. In fact, it seemed like he had actually got his breath back after his previous exercise. It was a bit of a blow to her pride if she was being honest with herself.

Roxas gave her a small smile as she let the Oblivion vanish. "You are a lot better than Wardes, that's for sure."

"I will take that as a complement. Wardes was and expert swordsman…But you were holding back, weren't you?" She asked. "You didn't use magic, nor did you use your second…keyblade."

Roxas shrugged. "Magic is useful for ending a battle quicker. It's nice for ranged attacks and quick healing." He said as he knelt down next to the water. "And I only use both of my Keyblades when I have to."

"So you didn't HAVE to against me." Agnes asked with slight irritation in her voice.

"Not many people have been able to make me use two keyblades." Roxas commented as she scooped up some water and splashed it on his face.

Agnes tried to crush her annoyance as she waked up to the stream as well. She mimicked Roxas by splashing water onto her sweaty face. She had to admit, if felt amazing. She could see why Roxas chose this place to train.

Sitting down on the bank, Agnes took off her cape and laid it beside her before she closed her eyes. The breeze felt nice as well and it was completely quiet here. No wining nobles, no one that she needed to bark order at. It was completely peaceful.

"How did you find this place?"

Roxas looked over at Agnes before he shrugged. "I think it was my first or second day here. Louise and I got into an argument and I left to find somewhere quiet. I just stumbled across this place."

"You were right about it being quiet." She said as she looked over at him. "So, are you going to explain your story? I think my mind could do with a little less confusion."

Roxas scoffed. "Then I don't know if you should listen to my story. It may cause create more questions." He said.

His statement did little to deter Agnes thought. Her eyes narrowed a little, clearly telling him that she wanted to know.

"Fine. My story actually starts with Sora."

* * *

Roxas spent the next few moments explaining everything to Agnes. Everything from the heartless, to the Nobodies, to all the worlds, to the key blade until he ended it with Louise summoning him.

"When Sora and Riku came to this world, they asked me for help. Xehanort has returned, and he will be more powerful than ever. There will be people there that are much stronger than me. I have to train to protect this world and many others."

Agnes was staring at him for the longest time. "That…is a bit hard to swallow actually. While it does answer a lot of questions I have, it's…very farfetched. I will have to confirm your story with the queen, but for now, I will believe you."

"That is all I can ask then. But this is the reason I have to train so hard. This world needs me. Since I bare the Keyblade, I will have to fight." He said before he looked over at her. "Now its your turn. Why do you want to get stronger?"

Agnes blinked a few times as she realized her promise. She really didn't like talking about it, but she wasn't about to be a hypocrite. Giving a sigh, she started off. I was bourn in a village called D'Angletterre."

After her story was done, Roxas gave her an understanding expression. "So, the reason you want to get stronger if for revenge?"

"Partially. I also want to do everything in my power to protect the Queen. She took a chance with me by making me chevalier, but she trusted my judgment and gave me an opportunity to complete my goals."

Roxas nodded again. "Revenge huh." Roxas mused again. "You know, I was so blinded by the thought of revenge that I abandoned my other friend as well. Honestly, I don't know if its worth it or not."

"It will be worth it." Agnes said dangerously as she stood up. "I need this. I won't stop until I find them man who took my family away from me."

Roxas didn't say anything as he looked up at her. She had a fire in her eyes, but it wasn't determination.

It was hatred.

He knew because Roxas had felt that kind of hatred towards the organization after what they did to Xion. He also felt that kind of hatred towards Diz after he found out about twilight town.

Agnes suddenly looked over at Roxas before she gave him a small grin. She walked over to her cape before throwing it over her shoulder. "Well, I think that is enough for today. It was…Nice…Talking to you Roxas. Not many people can relate to my position…and even less would not judge me for my actions."

Roxas waved her off. "I guess I am just good at listening."

"Hopefully we can spare more. Your not the only one who wants to get stronger." She said before she walked away. Truthfully, there have only been a small handful of people who she had shared her past with. She didn't know why she shared it with Roxas. Maybe it was because he was so honest with his past; maybe it was because he could relate to her pain,

Maybe she just thought he was a trustworthy friend.

Whatever the reason, talking to him made her burden feel a bit lighter.

* * *

It was the next day that Roxas and Julio stood in front of each other, their wooden swords drawn. They had quite the crowd, though most of them were cheering for Julio. The boy seemed to relish in the attention, from what Roxas could see.

Agnes was overseeing the duel, but she had a knowing grin on her face. She knew that Julio didn't stand a chance.

"I hope your ready Roxas." Julio said as he flicked his hair in a manner that reminded him of Guiche. Really, when it came to being dramatic, they could have been brothers.

Roxas didn't reply as he got into his basic stance with the single wooden sword. Julio also got into his own comfortable stance, both waiting for Agnes to signal the start of the match.

"Begin."

Roxas wasted no time as he suddenly rushed at Julio with impressive speed. Julio was a bit surprised by the offensive strategy, but he quickly tried to counter. Roxas wasted no time in swinging the sword, clashing with Julio's and sending chips of wood flying off both weapons. Julio quickly jumped backwards, his arms already shaking from the force of the blow.

"Impressive strength Roxas. But you must do bet…" Julio started dramatically before he was forced to raise his sword again to deflect another blow. He quickly stumbled away, perturbed that his taunt was cut short.

Roxas was a bit annoyed that Julio was trying to make conversation in the middle of a battle. That was probably one of the dumbest things you could do. Quickly rushing at Julio again, Roxas sent a flurry of blows at the boy.

To his credit, Julio wasn't bad with sword. He could deflect most of the attacks, but he was being drove back quite badly since Roxas never let up. There was never a chance to get his balance back, forcing him to backpaddle against the onslaught of attacks.

Of course, Roxas wasn't really trying though. He was just pushing Julio to see how far he could go before Roxas could use more of his power. However, it seemed that limit was coming up soon because already, Julio was out of breath. With one slightly more powerful strike, Julio didn't have the strength left to hold his sword. It went flying out of his hand before he toppled back dramatically onto his ass.

Roxas wasn't even winded, but he was a little impressed. It was obvious that Julio had a bit of sword training, but he was still painfully weak compared to what Roxas was used to.

"I…I guess you win." He eased, putting on quite a show for everyone around him.

Roxas nodded before he extended his hand to Julio. "You weren't that bad yourself."

Julio lost his composure for a moment as he stared at the hand. He didn't expect someone that strong to be humble enough to offer help getting up. But as brief as it was, he quickly schooled it over with his usual confident countenance.

"Thank you. Considering who this praise is coming from, I am honored." He said as he grasped Roxas's hand, allowing the nobody to hoist him to his feet.

"How do you know me?" Roxas asked.

"Oh, you will find out soon enough." Julio said as he was suddenly bombarded by a horde of girls, promptly knocking Roxas away from him.

Roxas rose and eyebrow in confusion as the ladies stared asking Julio if he was alright. However, he just shrugged before walking over to Agnes, Michelle, and Louise. "It got a little broken." He said he handed over the chipped wooden sword.

"…You weren't really trying, were you?" Agnes said as he took the blade from him.

"No, not really."

"Well…I do find it strange that he even challenged you." Louise commented as he looked over into the midst of the girls. He watched as Julio sweet talked his harem. "Why does he seem to know you?" she asked.

"I can answer that." Agnes said, noticing that she now had Roxas's and Louis's attention. "But for now, I was told that after this duel, I was supposed to tell you something."

"What?" Louise asked"

"Codename Zero. We have an emergency." Agnes said, her countenance taking more of a professional manner. "You and Louise are to come with me to Headmaster Osmond's office."

Roxas and Louise glanced at each other before nodding.

It was later that Louise and Roxas walked into the office alongside Agnes. Roxas immediately noticed that Julio somehow managed to escape the group of girls. He was leaning against the wall waiting for them.

But they weren't the only ones in the room. There was also headmaster Osmond who was seated in his usual spot. But there were also two hooded figures standing in front of his desk. Before he even had the chance to ask, one of the spoke.

"Thank you for all common." The figure spoke as it turned around.

"Queen Henrietta!" Louise exclaimed before she noticed the other figure Turing toward her. It was very easy to distinguish his golden hair and kind smile. "Prince Wales."

Instantly, she was on her knee.

The queen giggled before quickly walking over to Louise and gently grabbing her shoulders and raised her up. "How many times do I must tell you Louise, you don't have to kneel before me."

"I second that. You two have done so much for this kingdom that we should be the ones to kneel." Wales said as he removed his hood.

Louise immediately flushed. "I could never. You must never…" She shuddered.

Henrietta laughed again. "Calm down Louise." She said before she turned to both her and Roxas.

"Louise, Roxas. I have said it many times before, but thank you for what you did for me and wales. You not only restored him, but you also stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life."

"Princess, we already told you that we forgave you." Louise said.

"But…I'm not sure if I am worthy to be forgiven for what I did." Henrietta replied, a solemn expression on her face.

"It's what friends do." Roxas said simply.

Henrietta and Wales stared at Roxas for a few seconds before they gave a smile. "I don't know what I did to deserve such friends." Henrietta finally said.

Julio suddenly stepped forward. "I had also heard what happened with Prince Whales. It was Albion after all, wasn't it?"

Roxas turned to Julio. "Julio, why are you here?"

Julio turned to him, a grin on his face. "That's mean Roxas. Is that any way to talk to your new teammate?" he questioned dramatically. Yeah, he and Guiche could get along.

"Teammate?"

"Yes, teammate." Queen Henrietta said. "The royal pope of Romalia had sent him to aid us. He wants to avoid war like I do, but there are many in the kingdom that still want to march onto Albion." She then turned to face them. "Agnes, Roxas, Julio, and Louise, your four are the only ones that Wales and I can count on. Will you lend me your strength in this war?"

"Of course we will your highness. My familiar and I will always be there to help." She said respectively.

Roxas just nodded in agreement but chose not to say anything. Julio however pushed off the wall and walked in front of him before grabbing Louise's hands. "I am looking forward to working with you Louise." He said as he kissed her hand. He glanced at Roxas, expecting a reaction, but found that he just looked at them curiously. "By the way Roxas. The dual we had been because I wanted to see your strength for myself. I have to admit, you are truly skilled with blades."

"…Thanks?" he replied awkwardly.

"I also look forward to working with you." He said as he exited the room followed by Agnes. Roxas and Louise were about to follow before they were stopped by Henrietta.

"You two please stay, there is something Wales and I need to talk about with you two." She said.

Roxas and Louise glanced at each other before nodding. They closed the door and turned to the duo.

"What's wrong queen Henrietta?"

Henrietta glanced over at Wales before nodding. Wales stepped forward and cleared his throat. "I remembered something when I was first created as a nobody." He started, immediately catching Roxas's attention.

"What?"

"Well, there was someone there that taught me how to summon the Nobodies. He himself couldn't summon them or control them, but he knew HOW to control them."

"He did? Did he ever tell you his name?" Roxas asked, a touch of eagerness in his voice.

Wales nodded. "His name was Briag. Does that sound familiar?"

Roxas paused for a few moments before sadly shaking his head. It wasn't any name he recognized in the organization. "No it doesn't."

"Damn. I was hoping you would know. It would have been nice to know any abilities of our enemies." Wales responded sadly.

"Yeah, seriously." Roxas responded.

* * *

 **Authors Note: There you go. The last chapter for a while. Hope you have enjoyed what I have written and glad you stuck around for so long. I hope I can continue this sometime in the future because I have an awesome idea of where it could go, but for now, I just don't have the time. I got to make a living and all. Hopefully I will get the motivation going again in the future. Thanks again for a wonderful year of being on this site.**

 **Until then!**


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